What is wrong with this sentence?

Question

Can you list all three errors in the following sentence?:

Their are three errors in this sentance.

It's funny how some people see the third error, but don't realize it! I hope this was fun for you guys.

If you liked this puzzle, I got it from a book called "The Mind's I" by Douglas Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett (I may have spelled the names incorrectly).

Answer 1

Their should be there.

sentence is spelled wrong.

Wow, I guess all I can find are two.

Oh, wow again, I'm doing an edit, that would be correct isn't is, saying there are three errors when there are only two? How cool. I spent forever looking for a third one and when I first went to answer there were no other answers and yet was the last one to submit. That was really good.

Another edit: I came back 5 hours later, have never done that with any question but this one was so unique and cool, I just had to see how others were responding. I got a kick out of the ones that were trying to make the third error as the improper usage of are and said it should be the word is!

Anyway, coming back for the second edit, I saw the answer that the third error is the sentence itself, because there are only two errors, as to where at first I had thought the others had it right by saying instead of the word three, it should read two errors in this sentence. However, the correct answer is the one saying the third error is the whole sentence as there are only two errors, right? Or does it matter between the two?

Answer 2

There are 2 spelling errors and one semantic error.

Error 1: Their
Should be: There

Error 2: sentance
Should be: sentence

Error 3: there are only 3 errors(meaning error)
Should be: their are two errors in this sentance.

Answer 3

With the help of one of your other answers, I think I got it:

"Their" should be "there"
"sentance" should be "sentence"

And there are actually only two errors. That's the third error; the statement itself is wrong.

(Spelling out numbers is proper for numbers under twenty, and "are" is correct because the subject, "errors" is plural.)

As the man said, it's a paradox.

(Wow, a lot of people got it before me. How embarrassing is that?)

Answer 4

1 There instead of their.
2 sentence instead of sentance.
3 There are three errors in this sentence........the third error is the counting of errors there are in fact only two

Answer 5

Their should be There. Sentance is spelled sentence. I'm guessing that the third error is that there are only two.

Answer 6

Error 1 - "Their" should be "There"
Error 2 - "sentance" is spelled "sentence"
Error 3 - the statement is false.... the sentence only contains two errors.

Answer 7

1. Their should be spelled "There"
2. Sentance should be spelled "sentence"
3. Three should be "Two"

I had to think about that last one for a moment.

Good one!

Answer 8

Their = There

Sentance = Sentence

The third error in the sentence is the word 'error'

Answer 9

First, the "their" should be "there."
Second, "sentance" should be spelled "sentence."
And lastly, the sentence says there are 3 errors, but actually, there are only 2 errors, and saying that there are 3 errors is the 3rd error.

Answer 10

Their = There

sentance = Sentence

three = no (as the corrections have been made) or is my thinking to lateral for you?

There are no errors in this sentence.