Error Spotting

Error Spotting — Study Notes for SBI Clerk Prelims

Overview

The format is straightforward: a sentence is divided into parts (usually 3–4), and you must identify which part contains a grammatical error. Sometimes, "No Error" is also an option.

This topic tests your command of English grammar fundamentals — subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, preposition usage, article placement, and more. Unlike Reading Comprehension, where context helps, Error Spotting demands precise grammatical knowledge. The good news: the error categories are finite and predictable. Master the common patterns, and you can score full marks here with minimal time investment.

For SBI Clerk Prelims, errors are usually clear-cut rather than subtle. Focus on recognizing patterns quickly — you should spend no more than 30–40 seconds per question.

Key Concepts

• Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must match the subject in number. Intervening phrases between subject and verb often create confusion. ("The list of items is ready" — not are.)
• Tense Consistency: A sentence should maintain the same tense unless there's a logical reason to shift. Watch for sudden jumps from past to present.
• Correct Preposition Usage: Many verbs and adjectives take specific prepositions. ("Depend on", "consist of", "different from" — not interchangeable.)
• Article Errors (A/An/The): Use "a" before consonant sounds, "an" before vowel sounds. "The" for specific or previously mentioned nouns. Omit articles with uncountable abstract nouns used generally.
• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must match their antecedents in number and gender. ("Each student must bring his or her book" — not their in formal grammar.)
• Parallelism: Items in a list or comparison must follow the same grammatical structure. ("She likes reading, writing, and swimming" — not "to swim".)
• Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers: Modifying phrases must clearly refer to the correct noun. ("Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful" — incorrect; trees weren't walking.)
• Redundancy and Word Choice: Avoid double meanings or incorrect word forms. ("Return back", "revert back" are redundant.)

Formulas / Key Facts

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

• Singular subjects → singular verbs (adds "s"): He runs, She writes
• Plural subjects → plural verbs: They run, We write
• "Either...or", "Neither...nor" → verb agrees with the nearer subject
• Collective nouns (team, committee) → usually singular in Indian English

Common Preposition Pairs

Article Rules

• "An" before vowel sounds: an hour, an MBA (but "a university" — "yu" sound)
• No article: general plurals ("Dogs are loyal"), abstract nouns used generally ("Honesty is important")

Pronoun Rules

• "One" takes "one's" (not their/his)
• "Each", "every", "either", "neither" are singular
• "Who" for subjects, "Whom" for objects

Common Redundancies to Avoid

• Return back → Return
• Revert back → Revert
• Repeat again → Repeat
• Free gift → Gift
• Past history → History

Worked Examples

Example 1 Sentence: (A) Each of the students / (B) have completed / (C) their assignments / (D) before the deadline.

Analysis:

• Part A: "Each of the students" — subject is "Each" (singular) ✓
• Part B: "have completed" — "have" is plural, but subject "Each" is singular ✗
• Part C: "their assignments" — technically should be "his/her" for strict grammar, but B is the clearer error
• Part D: "before the deadline" — correct ✓

Answer: B — Should be "has completed"

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Example 2 Sentence: (A) The manager along with his team / (B) are going / (C) to attend the conference / (D) next week.

Analysis:

• Part A: "The manager along with his team" — main subject is "manager" (singular); "along with" doesn't change the subject ✓
• Part B: "are going" — should be "is going" to agree with "manager" ✗
• Part C: "to attend the conference" — correct ✓
• Part D: "next week" — correct ✓

Answer: B — Should be "is going"

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Example 3 Sentence: (A) He prefers tea / (B) than coffee / (C) because it is / (D) healthier for him.

Analysis:

• Part A: "He prefers tea" — correct ✓
• Part B: "than coffee" — "prefer" takes "to", not "than" ✗
• Part C: "because it is" — correct ✓
• Part D: "healthier for him" — correct ✓

Answer: B — Should be "to coffee"

Common Mistakes

Confusing proximity with agreement → The verb agrees with the main subject, not the nearest noun. In "The quality of the mangoes is good", "quality" is the subject, not "mangoes".

Treating "along with/as well as/together with" as conjunctions → These phrases don't make a subject plural. "The captain, along with his teammates, was present" — not were.

Using "than" after comparatives that don't take it → Words like "prefer", "superior", "inferior", "senior", "junior" take "to", not "than".

Ignoring vowel sounds for articles → It's "an hour" (silent h) but "a hotel" (audible h). It's "a European" (starts with "yu" sound) but "an MBA" (starts with "em" sound).

Missing parallelism breaks → In lists, all items must match: "He likes to read, to write, and to travel" OR "reading, writing, and travelling" — not a mix.

Quick Reference

• Subject-verb agreement: Find the true subject, ignore phrases between subject and verb.
• "Along with / as well as / together with" = subject stays singular.
• "Prefer A to B", never "than B".
• "An" before vowel sounds, not just vowel letters.
• "Either...or / Neither...nor" → verb matches the nearer subject.
• Check for redundancies: return back, revert back, repeat again = wrong.