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CUET English: Grammar Traps to Avoid

CL Team July 16 2025
3 min read

CUET English: Grammar Traps to Avoid

Spotting & Solving Common Errors in MCQs
For CUET Aspirants | By Career Launcher South Ex

Introduction

CUET English sections often look simple — until you land on an MCQ that feels grammatically “almost right.”
That’s because the exam isn’t just testing your vocabulary or reading speed; it’s testing your precision with grammar.

At Career Launcher South Ex, we’ve seen students lose marks over avoidable grammar traps. In this guide, we break down the most common grammar mistakes CUET aspirants make — and how you can avoid them with clarity and confidence.

Why Grammar Traps Matter

  • Grammar questions in CUET are objective but nuanced.

  • A single-word error can change the correctness of a sentence.

  • Many questions rely on contextual grammar, not just rules.

This means you need to understand both rules and application to succeed.

Top Grammar Traps to Watch Out For

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Confusion

The Trap:
Each of the students have submitted their forms.
The Fix:
Each of the students has submitted their forms.
Tip: Words like "Each," "Every," "Neither," and "Either" are singular.

2. Misplaced Modifiers

The Trap:
She almost drove her kids to school every day.
The Fix:
She drove her kids to school almost every day.
Tip: Keep modifiers close to the word they describe.

3. Pronoun Agreement Errors

The Trap:
Everyone must bring their own lunch.
The Fix:
Everyone must bring his or her own lunch.
Tip: Match singular pronouns with singular antecedents.

4. Incorrect Use of Articles

The Trap:
He is the honest man.
The Fix:
He is an honest man.
Tip: Use "a"/"an" based on pronunciation, not spelling.

5. Confusion Between Similar Words

The Trap:
She was affected by the climate change.
The new policy will effect change.
The Fix:
Affect = verb (influence), Effect = noun (result)
Examples:

  • Climate change affected her health.

  • The rule had a positive effect on outcomes.

6. Tense Shift Mid-Sentence

The Trap:
He was walking down the road and sees a cat.
The Fix:
He was walking down the road and saw a cat.
Tip: Keep tense consistent unless logically required to change.

7. Redundancy in Phrases

The Trap:
They returned back to the village.
The Fix:
They returned to the village.
Other Examples:

  • Repeat again

  • Close proximity

  • Each and every

8. Parallelism Errors

The Trap:
She likes dancing, to swim, and reading.
The Fix:
She likes dancing, swimming, and reading.
Tip: Use parallel structures in lists and comparisons.

Practice Tips from South Ex Mentors

  • Don’t just read — analyze. Ask yourself what rule is being tested.

  • Keep a grammar journal for recurring errors.

  • Practice short 20-minute grammar sessions daily.

  • Do error spotting MCQs regularly.

Mini Quiz: Spot the Error

Q1: Neither of the answers are correct.
→ Correct: Neither of the answers is correct.

Q2: The teacher said that honesty are the best policy.
→ Correct: Honesty is the best policy.

Q3: The committee have decided to postpone the meeting.
→ Correct: The committee has decided...

Sample CUET-Style Grammar MCQs

Q1: Choose the correct sentence.
a) She don’t like spicy food.
b) She doesn’t likes spicy food.
c) She doesn’t like spicy food.
d) She not like spicy food.
Answer: c) She doesn’t like spicy food.

Q2: Identify the grammatically correct sentence.
a) One of the boys have broken the window.
b) One of the boy has broken the window.
c) One of the boys has broken the window.
d) One among the boys have broke the window.
Answer: c) One of the boys has broken the window.

Q3: Choose the sentence with correct usage of the article.
a) He is a honest man.
b) He is an honest man.
c) He is the honest man.
d) He is honest man.
Answer: b) He is an honest man.

Q4: Select the correct form of the sentence.
a) Each of the candidates were qualified.
b) Each of the candidate were qualified.
c) Each of the candidates was qualified.
d) Every of the candidates was qualified.
Answer: c) Each of the candidates was qualified.

Final Thoughts from Career Launcher South Ex

Grammar is the backbone of the CUET English section. Even if you’re fluent in spoken English, test-style grammar traps require a different kind of preparation.

At Career Launcher South Ex, our focused English programs combine grammar theory, MCQ drills, and mock-based analysis — so you can prepare smarter, not just harder.

Practice daily, learn from mistakes, and enter the exam with confidence.
Let’s eliminate silly errors — one grammar trap at a time.