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SSC CGL English · Spotting Errors

Articles, Adjectives and Comparison

Choosing a, an or the, treating uncountable nouns correctly, using the right degree of comparison, and an adverb where a verb needs one.

All Spotting Errors notes

Why this matters

Sixty-nine questions in the bank, 23 from the 2023 shifts, 32 from the 2024 shifts and 14 from the 2025 shifts, and 54 of them EASY. Most are quick once you listen to the first sound of the next word and ask what a word describes: a noun takes an adjective, a verb an adverb.

Concept 1 of 2: A, an, the and uncountable nouns

A or an depends on the first sound of the next word, not its letter: an hour, a university. The is for something unique, already mentioned or defined, and for a superlative. Uncountable nouns such as advice and information take no a and no plural.

Definition

  • A or an by sound: an hour, an heir, an MBA; a university, a European, a one-day match.
  • The: for something unique (the sky), already mentioned, defined by what follows (the truth of the case), or with a superlative (the best).
  • No article: general plurals ("Historians study the past") and fixed phrases (by chance, by bus, at home).
  • Uncountable nouns: advice, information, luggage, feedback, evidence, homework and furniture take no a and no -s: "some advice", "a piece of advice".
  • Much and many: much with uncountable nouns, many with plurals.
  • Few and a few: a few means some; few means hardly any.
  • Order: "the next few days", "the first two chapters".

Worked example

Find the part with the error: (a) He gave me (b) an useful advice (c) about the test. (d) No error
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2023 · Tier I, 26 Jul 2023, Shift 3 · Q76Easy

Example 1 · Spotting Errors · Articles, Adjectives and Comparison

Parts of the following sentence have been given as options. Select the option that contains an error. My mother is a honest and well known woman in the society.

Choosing a or an by the letter

It is the sound that counts: a university and a one-day match, but an hour and an heir.

A plural for an uncountable noun

Advices, informations, luggages and feedbacks are all wrong. Count them with "pieces of" instead.
Drill 33 more on a, an, the and uncountable nouns

Concept 2 of 2: Comparison, adjectives and adverbs

Use the comparative (taller, better) with than and for two things, the superlative (the tallest) for one out of three or more, and the plain form in as ... as. A verb is described by an adverb (spoke clearly); a linking verb such as become takes an adjective (became violent).

Definition

  • Comparative + than: better than, more slowly than; never "more better" or "more taller".
  • Two things: the comparative, even with the: "the cleverer of the two".
  • Superlative: the best of all, the greatest of the emperors (of or among, never than).
  • As ... as and so ... as take the plain form: as smart as.
  • Latin comparatives take to: senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, and prefer: "superior to".
  • Compare like with like: "smaller than yours", not "smaller than you".
  • Adverb for a verb: sings well, ran quickly, badly injured. Adjective after a linking verb (be, become, seem, look, taste): became violent, tastes bad.
  • Very goes with the plain form: very quick, much quicker; never "very quicker".

Worked example

Find the part with the error: (a) Of the two sisters, (b) Meena is the most clever (c) one. (d) No error
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 15 Sep 2025, Shift 1 · Q96Easy

Example 2 · Spotting Errors · Articles, Adjectives and Comparison

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: He is *senior than me in age*.

Doubling the comparative

"More better" and "more taller" say the comparison twice. Use better and taller alone.

An adverb after a linking verb

"The food tastes badly" and "She looks beautifully" are wrong: a linking verb takes an adjective, so tastes bad, looks beautiful.
Drill 34 more on comparison, adjectives and adverbs

Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance

A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.

Watch out for (4)

Test yourself on Spotting Errors

20 past SSC CGL questions from this chapter, timed at 12 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.

Take the Spotting Errors chapter testDrill all 69 questions