Question 1

Identify the error in the sentence: By the time the conference (A) will begin, / (B) the participants / (C) will have arrived / (D) from different countries.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part A. When using 'by the time' with a future reference, the time clause (introduced by 'by the time') must use simple present tense, not future tense. The correct form should be 'By the time the conference begins' (simple present), not 'will begin' (future). The main clause correctly uses future perfect 'will have arrived'.

Question 2

Identify the error in the sentence: The report (A) was submitted / (B) yesterday, and it / (C) has been reviewed / (D) by the director today.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part C. The sentence mixes two different time references: 'yesterday' (simple past) and 'today' (present perfect). For consistency, if the report was submitted yesterday and reviewed today, both actions should use simple past: 'was submitted yesterday and was reviewed today'. Alternatively, if emphasizing the present relevance, use present perfect for both. The mixing of simple past and present perfect with different time markers creates tense inconsistency.

Question 3

Identify the error in the sentence: The manager (A) has instructed / (B) all employees to submit / (C) their reports by tomorrow / (D) No error

Accepted Answer

The sentence is grammatically correct. 'Has instructed' (present perfect) is appropriate because the instruction was given in the recent past and remains relevant. 'All employees' (plural noun) correctly takes plural verb agreement. 'Their' (plural possessive pronoun) correctly refers to 'employees'. 'By tomorrow' is a correct time expression with future reference. No error exists.

Question 4

Identify the error in the sentence: The team (A) have been working / (B) on this project / (C) for the past six months / (D) and they have not completed it yet.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part A. In British English, 'team' is a collective noun that can take either singular or plural verb forms depending on context. However, the standard and more common usage is singular: 'The team has been working'. The sentence uses 'have been working' (plural), which is less standard. The correct form should be 'The team has been working' (singular verb with collective noun).

Question 5

The consultant (A) will submit the report / (B) after she (C) will have completed / (D) the final review. No error

Accepted Answer

The sentence contains a tense error. In part (C), 'will have completed' is incorrect. The rule states that in a subordinate clause introduced by 'after', the verb should be in simple present tense (not future tense), even though the meaning is future. The correct form should be 'completes' (simple present). The main clause correctly uses 'will submit' (simple future).

Question 6

The manager (A) has instructed / (B) the team members that they (C) should complete / (D) the project by next Friday. No error

Accepted Answer

The sentence is grammatically correct. 'Has instructed' (present perfect) is appropriate for a recent action with present relevance. The subordinate clause uses 'should complete' (modal + base form), which correctly expresses obligation/instruction. All parts maintain proper tense consistency and subject-verb agreement.

Question 7

The accountant (A) has been working / (B) on the financial statements (C) since the morning and (D) has not yet finished. No error

Accepted Answer

The sentence is grammatically correct. 'Has been working' (present perfect continuous) is appropriate for an action that started in the past and continues to the present, especially with 'since the morning'. The second clause correctly uses 'has not yet finished' (present perfect), maintaining tense consistency. Both actions relate to the present moment.

Question 8

The witness stated that she (A) had seen the suspect leaving the building at midnight, and she (B) was certain that the police (C) would have apprehended him by now if they (D) had acted on her information immediately.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). The sentence structure involves reported speech with mixed time references. The witness is speaking in the past (stated), and her certainty about the present/recent past requires consistent conditional tense. The phrase 'by now' indicates a present moment, but 'would have apprehended' (past conditional) is used. However, this is actually correct because the conditional refers to a hypothetical past action. The real error is subtle: the sentence mixes direct conditional logic. Actually, upon careful analysis, 'would have apprehended him by now' is correct for a third conditional. The sentence is grammatically sound. All parts use correct tenses: past perfect in reported speech, past continuous, and third conditional structure.

Question 9

Identify the error in the sentence below:

The committee (A) has been deliberating on the proposal (B) for the last three months, and they have not yet reached (C) a consensus because the members were disagreeing (D) on key issues.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part D. The sentence uses past continuous ('were disagreeing') in a context where present perfect continuous ('have been disagreeing') is required. The phrase 'because' introduces a reason clause that must maintain tense consistency with the main clause, which uses present perfect ('have not yet reached'). Since the disagreement is ongoing and directly connected to the present situation (the reason why consensus hasn't been reached), present perfect continuous is grammatically correct.

Question 10

By the time the new regulations come into effect next month, the company (A) will have been operating (B) under the old framework for nearly a decade, which means (C) that significant adjustments will need to be made. (D) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The sentence structure is: 'By the time X happens, Y will have been doing Z.' The phrase 'for nearly a decade' indicates a duration extending up to a future point. The correct tense should be 'will have been operating' (future perfect continuous), which is already present. However, examining more carefully, the issue is that 'will have been operating' is correct, but the overall construction is sound. Upon strict review, this sentence contains no error. All tenses are correctly used: future perfect continuous in the main clause, present simple in the time clause, and future simple in the final clause.

SBI PO Tenses

Tenses— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Tenses — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Tenses