Question 1

The committee (A) have decided / (B) has decided / (C) have been deciding / (D) has been deciding that the new policy will be implemented next month. No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). 'Committee' is a collective noun that takes a singular verb in Indian English when referring to the body as a single unit. The correct form is 'has decided' (option B). The sentence uses simple past tense appropriately to describe a completed decision.

Question 2

The committee (A) have decided / (B) has decided / (C) are deciding / (D) have been deciding that the new policy will be implemented next month. No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). 'Committee' is a collective noun that takes a singular verb in Indian English when referring to the body as a single unit. The correct form is 'has decided' (option B). The sentence uses simple past tense appropriately for a completed decision.

Question 3

Neither the manager nor the employees (A) was / (B) were / (C) has been / (D) have been willing to compromise on the salary issue. No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). When 'neither...nor' connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Here, 'employees' (plural) is nearer, so the verb must be plural: 'were' (option B). The simple past tense is appropriate for the context.

Question 4

The data (A) shows / (B) show / (C) are showing / (D) have shown that the sales figures (A) has / (B) have / (C) was / (D) were improved significantly last quarter. No error (E)

Accepted Answer

There are two errors here. First, 'data' is a plural noun (plural of 'datum') and requires 'show' (option B in the first blank). Second, 'figures' is plural and requires 'have' (option B in the second blank). The sentence should read: 'The data show that the sales figures have improved...' using present perfect for recent relevance.

Question 5

The report (A) submitted by / (B) submitted to / (C) submitted in / (D) submitted for the audit committee contains several important recommendations. No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). The correct preposition is 'to' (option B). The phrase should be 'submitted to the audit committee,' meaning the report was given/presented to the committee. 'Submitted by' would indicate who submitted it, not to whom.

Question 6

The data suggests that the majority of customers prefers online shopping, and they have indicated their willingness to pay a premium for faster delivery.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part B. 'Majority' is a collective noun that, when referring to a group acting as a unit, takes a singular verb. However, when 'of customers' follows it and the focus is on individual members, usage varies, but 'majority of customers' typically takes a plural verb in modern English. Here, the sentence uses 'they' (plural) in part D, which indicates the members are acting individually, so 'prefers' should be 'prefer'. The correct form is: 'The data suggests that the majority of customers prefer online shopping, and they have indicated their willingness to pay a premium for faster delivery.'

Question 7

The committee have decided to postpone the meeting because several members was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part C. 'Committee' is a collective noun that takes a plural verb in British English when the members are acting individually. Since the sentence uses 'have' (plural) in part A, part C must also use the plural verb 'were' instead of 'was'. The correct form is: 'The committee have decided to postpone the meeting because several members were unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances.'

Question 8

Neither the supervisor nor the employees has agreed to the new working hours, and they are concerned about the impact on their personal lives.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part B. When using 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearest subject. Here, 'employees' (plural) is nearest to the verb, so it should be 'have' instead of 'has'. The correct form is: 'Neither the supervisor nor the employees have agreed to the new working hours, and they are concerned about the impact on their personal lives.'

Question 9

The report, along with the supporting documents, were submitted to the board yesterday, but the chairman has not yet reviewed it.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part B. The phrase 'along with the supporting documents' is a parenthetical addition and does not affect subject-verb agreement. The main subject is 'report' (singular), so the verb should be 'was' instead of 'were'. The correct form is: 'The report, along with the supporting documents, was submitted to the board yesterday, but the chairman has not yet reviewed it.'

Question 10

The manager insists that every employee submits their reports on time, and he expects that they will be reviewed before the deadline.

Accepted Answer

The error is in part B. The sentence uses 'insists that', which requires the subjunctive mood (base form of the verb without -s). The correct form should be 'submits' → 'submit'. The sentence should read: 'The manager insists that every employee submit their reports on time, and he expects that they will be reviewed before the deadline.'

Question 11

The report, which was submitted last week and which contains sensitive information, (A) have been reviewed by the board members (B) who was appointed (C) to oversee the audit. (D) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject is 'report' (singular), so the verb must be 'has been reviewed', not 'have been reviewed'. The intervening relative clause does not change the subject's number. The correct form is: 'The report...has been reviewed by the board members.'

Question 12

The committee have decided that neither the manager nor the employees (A) is responsible for the delay, (B) and they will not be penalised. (C) No error (D)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). When 'neither...nor' connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Here, 'employees' (plural) is nearer to the verb, so 'are' should be used instead of 'is'. The correct form is: 'neither the manager nor the employees are responsible.'

SBI PO Error Spotting

Error Spotting— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Error Spotting — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Error Spotting