Error Spotting — Study Notes for IBPS Clerk Prelims
Overview
The format is straightforward: a sentence is divided into 3–4 parts, and you must identify which part contains a grammatical error. One option is usually "No error."
This topic tests your command of English grammar rules rather than vocabulary or comprehension. Mastering these core rules gives you a significant scoring advantage.
Success in Error Spotting requires developing a "grammar radar" that instinctively flags common mistakes. With practice, you can solve these questions in 20–30 seconds each, making them excellent time-savers in an exam where speed matters.
Key Concepts
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must match the subject in number (singular/plural). Intervening phrases between subject and verb are designed to confuse you.
- Tense Consistency: A sentence should maintain the same tense throughout unless there's a clear reason to shift. Watch for sudden switches from past to present.
- Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must match their antecedents in number and gender. "Each," "everyone," and "everybody" take singular pronouns.
- Correct Preposition Usage: Many verbs and adjectives pair with specific prepositions. "Interested in" (not "interested for"), "consists of" (not "consists in").
- Article Rules: Use "a" before consonant sounds, "an" before vowel sounds. Unique or superlative nouns take "the." Abstract/uncountable nouns often take no article.
- Parallel Structure: Items in a list or comparison must follow the same grammatical form. "She likes reading, writing, and to swim" is incorrect.
- Correct Word Form: Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs. "He runs quick" should be "He runs quickly."
- Comparison Errors: Use "than" with comparatives, not "to." Avoid double comparatives like "more better."
Key Facts and Rules
| Error Type | Wrong | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-Verb with "and" | Ram and Shyam is going | Ram and Shyam are going |
| Subject-Verb with "or/nor" | Neither he nor they is | Neither he nor they are (verb follows nearest subject) |
| Collective nouns | The team are playing well | The team is playing well |
| Each/Every/Everyone | Everyone have arrived | Everyone has arrived |
| One of the | One of the boy is absent | One of the boys is absent |
| Pronoun case | Between you and I | Between you and me |
| Gerund after preposition | Good at to sing | Good at singing |
| Infinitive confusion | He made me to go | He made me go |
| Double negatives | He doesn't know nothing | He doesn't know anything |
| Redundancy | Return back / Repeat again | Return / Repeat |
Worked Examples
Example 1:
The manager along with his employees (A) / were present at the meeting (B) / held last Monday. (C) / No error (D)
Solution:
- Part (A): "The manager along with his employees" — The main subject is "manager" (singular). Phrases like "along with," "as well as," "together with" do not change the subject's number.
- Part (B): "were present" — The verb "were" is plural, but the subject "manager" is singular.
- Error is in Part (B). Correct: "was present."
Example 2:
She is one of those students (A) / who has always been (B) / punctual and hardworking. (C) / No error (D)
Solution:
- In "one of those [plural noun] who," the verb after "who" refers to the plural noun.
- "Students who has" is incorrect because "students" is plural.
- Error is in Part (B). Correct: "who have always been."
Example 3:
He insisted (A) / to go to the market (B) / despite the heavy rain. (C) / No error (D)
Solution:
- "Insist" takes the preposition "on" followed by a gerund, not "to + infinitive."
- Error is in Part (B). Correct: "on going to the market."
Common Mistakes
- Ignoring phrases between subject and verb → Always identify the true subject by mentally removing intervening phrases. "The box of chocolates is empty" (not "are" — the subject is "box," not "chocolates").
- Treating "each/every/either/neither" as plural → These are always singular. "Each of the boys was present" (not "were"). Remember: Each = Each one = singular.
- Confusing "than" with "to" in comparisons → "He is taller than me" is correct. "Superior/inferior/senior/junior/prefer" are exceptions that use "to."
- Missing redundancy errors → Phrases like "return back," "revert back," "repeat again," "free gift," and "advance planning" contain hidden redundancies. These look correct but are errors.
- Assuming "No error" is rare → About 10–15% of questions genuinely have no error. Don't force-find mistakes that aren't there. If every part looks grammatically sound, choose "No error" confidently.
- Overlooking article errors → "He is best player" needs "the" before "best" (superlative). "I saw an university" is wrong because "university" starts with a consonant sound (/juː/).
Quick Reference
- Subject-verb rule: Ignore "along with/as well as/together with" — verb follows the main subject only.
- "One of the + plural noun + singular verb": One of the boys is absent.
- "One of those + plural noun + who + plural verb": One of those students who are brilliant.
- Neither/Either + nor/or: Verb agrees with the nearest subject.
- Preposition pairs to memorize: interested in, good at, consists of, different from, superior to, prefer X to Y.
- Redundant phrases to catch: return back, revert back, repeat again, advance planning, past history, future prospects.