Question 1

In the following sentence, one part is underlined. Identify the error:

You (A) must to attend / (B) the meeting tomorrow / (C) as it is / (D) very important. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). After the modal verb 'must', the base form of the verb should follow directly without 'to'. The correct form is 'must attend', not 'must to attend'.

Question 2

In the following sentence, one part is underlined. Identify the error:

You (A) ought to have / (B) informed us / (C) about the change / (D) yesterday. / No error

Accepted Answer

There is no error in this sentence. All parts are grammatically correct. 'Ought to have informed' is the correct past modal perfect form expressing an unfulfilled obligation in the past. The sentence structure, verb form, and preposition are all appropriate.

Question 3

In the following sentence, one part is underlined. Identify the error:

He (A) would rather / (B) work alone than / (C) to work / (D) with others. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). After 'than' in the structure 'would rather...than', the verb form should be the base form without 'to'. The correct form is 'work', not 'to work'. The structure requires parallel verb forms: 'would rather work...than work'.

Question 4

Identify the error in the sentence:
You should (A) have attended the meeting yesterday (B) because the director could have (C) announced important decisions then (D). No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part C. The phrase 'could have announced' is grammatically correct, but the logic is flawed. Since the meeting already happened, 'could have' (past possibility) is appropriate. However, the sentence structure is correct. There is no error.

Question 5

Identify the error in the sentence:
The committee (A) decided that members (B) would be able to (C) submit their proposals (D). No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part C. The phrase 'would be able to' is unnecessarily wordy and incorrect in this context. After the modal 'would', the base form should follow directly. The correct form is 'would submit', not 'would be able to submit'. However, 'would be able to' is actually a valid construction meaning 'would have the ability to'. Upon careful review, this sentence is grammatically correct. There is no error.

Question 6

Identify the error in the sentence:
The employees (A) may not leave (B) the office until (C) the manager will permit them (D). No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part D. After 'until', a future modal 'will' should not be used. The correct form is 'until the manager permits them' (simple present) or 'until the manager has permitted them' (present perfect). The modal 'will' is incorrect in the subordinate clause after 'until'.

Question 7

Identify the error in the sentence:
The manager (A) said that employees (B) must to submit their reports (C) before the deadline (D). No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part C. After the modal verb 'must', the base form of the verb should be used without 'to'. The correct form is 'must submit', not 'must to submit'.

Question 8

Identify the error in the sentence:
The student (A) ought to have (B) completed the assignment, but he might not (C) finish it (D). No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part D. After the modal 'might not', the base form of the verb should be used. The correct form is 'might not finish', not 'might not finish it' (the pronoun 'it' is correct, but the verb form is wrong). Actually, upon review, 'finish' is the base form and is correct. The error is the inconsistency: 'ought to have completed' (past) vs. 'might not finish' (present/future). However, the sentence is logically coherent. There is no grammatical error.

Question 9

Although the weather conditions (A) might have been / (B) could have been / (C) may have been / (D) would have been severe, the rescue team (E) continued their operations without hesitation. Which part contains an error?

Accepted Answer

The sentence uses 'Although' to introduce a concession about past weather conditions. All four modal options are grammatically possible past modals, but they carry different meanings. 'Might have been' and 'could have been' express possibility/ability in the past. 'May have been' also expresses possibility. 'Would have been' expresses a conditional or hypothetical past state. In this context, since the sentence asserts that conditions actually were severe (implied by 'without hesitation'), 'would have been' is incorrect because it suggests a hypothetical rather than actual past condition.

Question 10

The auditor (A) must have reviewed / (B) should have reviewed / (C) could have reviewed / (D) might review the financial statements before the board meeting, yet no discrepancies were found. Which part contains an error?

Accepted Answer

The sentence contains a temporal contradiction. The phrase 'yet no discrepancies were found' indicates a completed past action. The modal must reflect a past obligation that was fulfilled. 'Must have reviewed' (option A) expresses logical deduction about a past action ('The auditor must have reviewed them because no discrepancies were found'). 'Should have reviewed' (option B) expresses obligation. 'Could have reviewed' (option C) expresses possibility. 'Might review' (option D) is present/future possibility and contradicts the past context ('were found'). The correct answer is A because 'must have' fits the logical deduction meaning: given that no discrepancies were found, the auditor must have reviewed the statements.

Question 11

The manager said that the employees (A) should have completed / (B) must complete / (C) ought to have completed / (D) shall complete the project by Friday, but they (E) failed to do so. Which part contains an error?

Accepted Answer

The sentence describes a past situation where a deadline was set for Friday and the employees failed to meet it. The modal in the main clause must reflect that the action was required in the past but was not completed. 'Should have completed' (option A) is the correct past modal obligation form. Option B 'must complete' is present/future obligation. Option C 'ought to have completed' is grammatically acceptable but less formal in reported speech. Option D 'shall complete' is future and inappropriate for a past context.

Question 12

The new policy (A) may not be / (B) cannot be / (C) might not be / (D) should not be implemented without proper consultation, as stakeholders (E) deserve to have a voice in the decision-making process. Which part contains an error?

Accepted Answer

The sentence expresses a logical or practical impossibility/prohibition regarding policy implementation. The structure 'X may/cannot/might/should not be implemented without Y' requires a modal that conveys either prohibition or logical necessity. 'Cannot be' (option B) expresses logical impossibility or prohibition—the policy literally cannot be implemented without consultation. 'May not be' (option A) expresses permission/prohibition but is weaker. 'Might not be' (option C) expresses possibility of non-implementation. 'Should not be' (option D) expresses advice/obligation. The correct answer is B because 'cannot be' most strongly conveys that implementation without consultation is logically impossible or prohibited, which aligns with the justification ('stakeholders deserve a voice').

Question 13

The manager said that the employees (A) should not have submitted / (B) must not submit / (C) ought not to have submitted / (D) cannot submit the report without proper authorisation, and they (E) were aware of this policy for months. / No error

Accepted Answer

The sentence contains an error in modal verb usage and tense consistency. The underlined parts test the correct modal form in reported speech and the appropriate tense for a state that began in the past and continues to the present.

Question 14

The witness (A) could not have seen / (B) might not have seen / (C) must not have seen / (D) cannot have seen the suspect at the crime scene, given that he was in another city at the time. Which part contains an error?

Accepted Answer

The sentence expresses a logical deduction about a past action based on evidence (the witness was in another city). The correct modal must convey logical impossibility in the past. 'Could not have seen' (option A) expresses logical impossibility or lack of ability in the past. 'Might not have seen' (option B) expresses mere possibility of non-action. 'Must not have seen' (option C) expresses prohibition or strong obligation not to do something, not logical deduction. 'Cannot have seen' (option D) expresses logical impossibility in the past. Both A and D are grammatically acceptable, but A is more idiomatic in this context. However, the question asks for an error. Option C ('must not have seen') is incorrect because 'must not' expresses prohibition/obligation, not logical deduction. The evidence ('he was in another city') proves impossibility, not prohibition.

SBI Clerk Modals

Modals— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Modals — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Modals