Editing Exercises for Class 10 CBSE Board Exam

Each one of the candidates have submitted the documents before the deadline.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — 'Each one of'

'Each one of' always takes a singular verb, regardless of the plural noun that follows. The subject is 'each one' (singular), not 'candidates' (plural). Rule: Each one of + plural noun + singular verb.

The board invite online applications from eligible candidates for the post of a senior English teacher.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Collective Noun

'The board' is a collective noun used as a single unit here (one institution making a decision). It takes a singular verb. So 'invite' → 'invites'. Compare: 'The board are divided in opinion' (members acting individually) vs 'The board invites applications' (one body acting together).

Artisan Club invite you to Art and Soul: an art exhibition featuring art work created by our budding artists.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Singular Subject

'Artisan Club' is a singular entity (one club), so the verb must be singular: 'invites'. This is a formal announcement — a club as a single institution sends out invitations.

A bird in the hand are worth two in the bush.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Singular Subject

The subject is 'A bird' (singular). The long prepositional phrase 'in the hand' between the subject and verb is the distractor — it makes 'are' feel natural because you read 'hand are'. Strip it out: 'A bird...is worth two in the bush.' Always find the true subject first.

Writing this book have been a journey of exploration and discovery.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Gerund as Subject

A gerund phrase ('Writing this book') acts as a singular noun when it is the subject. Singular subject → singular verb. 'Writing this book has been a journey.' This is a common trick: the action feels plural because 'writing' suggests activity, but grammatically it names one thing.

These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allows us to remember you.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Plural Subject

The subject is 'These cookies' (plural). The verb 'allows' is singular — wrong. It must be 'allow'. The clause 'about how you interact with our website' comes in between and causes the subject to feel distant, making 'allows' sound acceptable. It is not.

Mohini attend every concert in the city because she loves classical music.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Third Person Singular

The subject 'Mohini' is third person singular. In simple present tense, third person singular subjects (he/she/it and their equivalents) take a verb with '-s': 'attends'. This is the most basic rule of English grammar, but easy to miss when the subject is a proper name.

It feel like an incredibly lucky day for me.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — Third Person Singular ('It')

'It' is third person singular. Simple present verb must take '-s': 'feels'. The adjective 'incredibly' before 'lucky' can distract from noticing the error in the verb.

True tradition is not in celebrations, but in the culture we carries forward.

Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement — First/Second Person Plural ('we')

'We' is first person plural and takes the base form of the verb — never '-s'. 'We carry', not 'we carries'. The relative clause 'the culture we carries forward' modifies 'culture', and 'we' is the subject of 'carry' in that clause.

The fisherman requested the guards to let him go to meet the king, but they demands half of the profit from his reward.

Rule: Tense Consistency — Past Narrative

The sentence is narrating a past event ('requested' is past tense). The verb 'demands' breaks the tense — it is present tense with a third-person '-s'. The correct form is 'demanded' (simple past, plural subject 'they' takes no '-s'). Two errors in one: wrong tense AND wrong agreement.

When marginalized voices get a chance to tell their story, anger or sadness would be a justified theme.

Rule: Tense — General Truth / Zero Conditional

When a sentence states a general truth or fact, use the present tense in both clauses. 'When A happens, B happens.' Here: 'When marginalized voices get a chance...anger or sadness is a justified theme.' 'Would' is used for hypothetical or polite conditions, not universal facts.

In present times, physiologists would travel the world to conferences and meetings to present their findings to other scientists.

Rule: Tense — Simple Present for Habitual Actions

'In present times' signals that this is a current, ongoing habit. Simple present tense ('travel') is correct. 'Would' is used for past habits or hypothetical situations — both wrong here. 'Physiologists travel the world' = they do it habitually, right now.

The farmer told his sons that he had hidden a treasure in the fields but he had forget the actual place.

Rule: Tense — Past Perfect (had + past participle)

Past perfect is formed with 'had' + the past participle. 'Forget' is the base form. The past participle of 'forget' is 'forgotten'. So: 'he had forgotten the actual place.' The base form 'forget' cannot follow 'had'.

If therapy is provided by a qualified professional, people could learn how to make better food choices.

Rule: Tense — Type 1 Conditional (Real Condition)

A Type 1 conditional (real/likely condition) uses 'if + simple present' in the condition clause and 'will/can' in the result clause. Here the condition is 'if therapy is provided' (present tense) — so the result must be 'people can learn', not 'could learn'. 'Could' belongs to Type 2 (hypothetical: 'if therapy were provided, people could learn').

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is salty ocean water and another two percent is trapping in the Earth's ice caps and glaciers.

Rule: Passive Voice — be + past participle

Passive voice is formed with 'is/are/was/were' + past participle. The water is not 'trapping' anything — it is trapped (by the ice caps). So: 'is trapped'. 'Trapping' is the present participle, used for active meaning (the water traps something). That is the wrong meaning here.

All tools and frequently touched surfaces must be disinfect after each client's treatment.

Rule: Passive Voice — Modal + be + past participle

Passive voice with a modal: modal + 'be' + past participle. Here: 'must be disinfected'. 'Disinfect' is the base form — it cannot follow 'must be'. The past participle of 'disinfect' is 'disinfected'.

If the humidity level in the room is very high, condensation may developed on the air quality sensor.

Rule: Modal Verb — Modal + Base Form

After a modal verb (may, can, should, must, will, etc.), always use the base form of the verb — never the past tense or past participle. 'May develop', not 'may developed'. This is one of the most frequently tested rules in CBSE board papers.

...experience the warmth of our hospitable and savour the delicious local cuisine.

Rule: Word Form — Adjective vs Noun

'Our' is a possessive adjective. It must be followed by a noun, not an adjective. 'Hospitable' is an adjective (meaning welcoming). The noun form is 'hospitality'. You can 'experience someone's hospitality', not 'experience someone's hospitable'. Full sentence: 'experience the warmth of our hospitality'.

Do you want to find your identification?

Rule: Word Choice — Identity vs Identification

'Identity' means who you are — your sense of self, your personal characteristics. 'Identification' means a document proving who you are (like an ID card). The sentence is asking about finding one's sense of self, so 'identity' is the correct word. This type of word-choice error (confusing related words) is a consistent CBSE board exam pattern.

Tell us much about your project and we'll select suitable candidates for you to hire.

Rule: Word Choice — Quantifier (more vs much)

'Much' is used with uncountable nouns in positive sentences, but in a context meaning 'to a greater degree', the word needed is 'more'. 'Tell us more about your project' = give us additional information. 'Tell us much' is grammatically odd — it lacks comparative meaning. In instructions and requests, 'more' is the correct quantifier here.

Each batch will contain only five students which will assure personal attention to each student.

Rule: Word Choice — Assure vs Ensure

'Assure' means to tell someone confidently (you assure a person: 'I assure you it will be fine'). 'Ensure' means to make certain that something happens ('This will ensure quality'). Here the subject is 'small batch size' (a thing, not a person), and the meaning is 'make certain'. So 'ensure' is correct.

This product handles the basics and then goes beyond that with a collection of additional security features that must take on many security breaches and win.

Rule: Word Choice — Modal Verb (can vs must)

'Must' expresses obligation or certainty. 'Can' expresses ability or capability. A product's security features do not have an obligation — they have a capability. 'Features that can take on security breaches' = they are capable of handling threats. 'Features that must take on' = they are required to — which is not the intended meaning in an advertisement.

For avoid damaging the appliance, do not immerse the electric cooker in water or any other liquid.

Rule: Preposition — Gerund after 'For'

A preposition must be followed by a noun or a gerund (verb + -ing), never a base verb. 'For' is a preposition here. So: 'for avoiding' (gerund). Compare: 'for protection', 'for learning', 'for cooking' — all nouns or gerunds. 'For avoid' is always wrong.

You should respect your parent and elders.

Rule: Noun — Plural Required

The sentence is giving general advice about respecting parents (both mother and father) and elders. 'Parent' is singular — that would mean only one parent. The context clearly means all parents. 'Elders' is already plural, so 'parents' must be plural too for parallel structure.

Obesity in teenage children is a major concern between parents today.

Rule: Preposition — Between vs Among

'Between' is used for two clearly separate things or people. 'Among' is used for more than two, or a group. Parents are a large group — not two individuals. So 'concern among parents' is correct. This is one of CBSE's most-tested preposition pairs.

The advent of social media has revolutionized communication by connected people across the globe in unprecedented ways.

Rule: Preposition — Gerund after 'by'

After the preposition 'by', use a gerund (verb + -ing). 'By connected' is wrong — 'connected' is a past participle. The correct form is 'by connecting'. The sentence means social media revolutionized communication by connecting people — it's describing the means/method.

Place the garment on the ironing board, smoothening out as many wrinkle as possible.

Rule: Noun — Plural after 'many'

'Many' is always followed by a plural countable noun. 'Wrinkle' (singular) after 'many' is wrong. It should be 'wrinkles' (plural). This is a simple but effective trap — the instruction reads quickly and the missing '-s' is easy to miss.

We process this data to supply the goods or services you have purchased or to keep records of such transactions.

Rule: Conjunction — And vs Or

'Or' implies a choice between alternatives. But a company does not supply 'either goods or services' — it supplies both. 'And' is the correct conjunction: 'supply the goods and services you have purchased'. Using 'or' would mean customers only get one or the other.

We reserve the right to make change to this website at any time without notice.

Rule: Noun — Plural Required

When multiple modifications to a website are meant, the noun must be plural: 'make changes', not 'make change'. 'Change' (singular, uncountable) works only when referring to general change as a concept ('change is constant'). 'Make changes to a website' = make specific alterations — always plural.

I prefer the chocolate pudding than the vanilla truffle anyday.

Rule: Preposition — Prefer X to Y (not 'than')

The verb 'prefer' takes the preposition 'to', not 'than'. 'I prefer A to B' — this is fixed usage. Students often write 'prefer...than' by analogy with comparatives ('better than'), but 'prefer' follows its own rule. 'I prefer chocolate to vanilla' is always correct.