Question 1

Identify the error in the sentence:

(A) A number of employees / (B) has been / (C) absent from the office / (D) due to illness. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). When 'a number of' is used, it refers to a plural quantity, so the verb must be 'have been' not 'has been'. The phrase 'a number of' always takes a plural verb, whereas 'the number of' takes a singular verb.

Question 2

Identify the error in the sentence:

Neither of the two candidates (A) / were qualified (B) / for the position, (C) / so the company decided to reopen the recruitment process. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The determiner 'neither' is singular and requires a singular verb. The correct form should be 'was qualified', not 'were qualified'. In English grammar, 'neither...nor' and 'either...or' constructions with singular subjects require singular verbs.

Question 3

Identify the error in the sentence:

The manager instructed that (A) / all employees must attend (B) / the mandatory training session, (C) / and each of them are required to bring their identification. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (D). The determiner 'each' is singular and requires a singular verb. The correct form should be 'is required', not 'are required'. Although 'them' (plural pronoun) is used, 'each' as the subject determiner demands singular verb agreement.

Question 4

Identify the error in the sentence:

(A) Neither of the two proposals / (B) were acceptable / (C) to the committee members / (D) yesterday. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'Neither of the two proposals' is singular (neither = not one or the other), so the verb must be 'was' not 'were'. The determiner 'neither' always takes a singular verb.

Question 5

Identify the error in the sentence:

(A) Some of the information / (B) provided in the report / (C) are not / (D) entirely accurate. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). The subject 'Some of the information' is singular (information is an uncountable noun), so the verb must be 'is' not 'are'. When 'some of' precedes an uncountable noun, the verb agrees with the uncountable noun and is singular.

Question 6

Identify the error in the sentence:

Several of the students (A) / has completed (B) / their assignments on time, (C) / and the teacher was impressed by their dedication. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The determiner 'several' is plural and requires a plural verb. The correct form should be 'have completed', not 'has completed'. 'Several' always takes a plural verb because it inherently refers to more than two items.

Question 7

Identify the error in the sentence:

(A) Each of the students / (B) have submitted / (C) their assignments / (D) on time. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'Each of the students' is singular, so the verb must be 'has' not 'have'. Distributive determiners like 'each', 'every', and 'either' always take singular verbs, even when followed by a plural noun in a prepositional phrase.

Question 8

Identify the error in the sentence:

(A) All of the furniture in the showroom / (B) were damaged / (C) during the recent / (D) renovation work. / No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'All of the furniture' is singular (furniture is an uncountable noun), so the verb must be 'was' not 'were'. The determiner 'all' agrees with the noun it modifies; since 'furniture' is uncountable, the verb is singular.

Question 9

Identify the error in the sentence below:

Each of the candidates who have applied (A) / for the scholarship programme (B) / must submit their documents (C) / within the stipulated deadline. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (A). The subject 'Each of the candidates' is singular (because 'each' is a singular determiner), so the verb should be 'has applied' instead of 'have applied'. Although 'candidates' is plural, the determiner 'each' overrides this and requires a singular verb. The correct form is: 'Each of the candidates who has applied...'

Question 10

Choose the option that fills in the blank correctly: __________ number of candidates who appeared for the examination was far greater than expected, and __________ large number of them qualified in the first attempt.

Accepted Answer

The rule governing 'number' with definite and indefinite articles: 'The number of' (specific, countable group) takes a singular verb and uses the definite article 'the' because it refers to a specific, identified quantity. 'A number of' (meaning 'many/several') uses the indefinite article 'a' and acts as a plural determiner. So the correct combination is 'The number of … a large number of'. Option B correctly applies both determiners as per standard grammar convention.

Question 11

Identify the error in the sentence:
Neither the manager nor (A) / the employees (B) / was aware of (C) / the new policy that were announced yesterday. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (D). The relative pronoun 'that' refers to the singular noun 'policy', requiring the singular verb 'was' instead of 'were'. The phrase 'that were announced' incorrectly uses a plural verb for a singular antecedent.

Question 12

Identify the error in the sentence:
The number of applicants (A) / who have applied (B) / for the scholarship (C) / are increasing every year. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (D). The subject is 'the number' (singular), not 'applicants' (plural). The verb should be 'is increasing' (singular) instead of 'are increasing' (plural). The phrase 'of applicants' is a prepositional phrase that does not change the number of the main subject.

Question 13

Identify the error in the sentence below:

The data shows that (A) / most of the students in the class (B) / have completed their assignments, (C) / but few has submitted the additional project work. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (D). The subject 'few' is plural, so the verb should be 'have submitted' instead of 'has submitted'. The determiner 'few' always requires a plural verb, regardless of the context or what precedes it in the sentence.

Question 14

Identify the error in the sentence:
The committee (A) / have decided that (B) / each of the members (C) / should submit their reports by Friday. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'committee' is a collective noun that functions as a singular unit in this context, requiring the singular verb 'has' instead of 'have'. The phrase 'each of the members' in part (C) is a parenthetical remark and does not change the number of the main subject.

Question 15

Identify the error in the sentence:
Either the principal or (A) / the teachers (B) / has to ensure that (C) / all students follow the rules which are mandatory. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). In an 'either...or' construction where one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. Here, 'teachers' (plural) is nearest to the verb, so it should be 'have to ensure' instead of 'has to ensure'.

Question 16

Identify the error in the sentence below:

Neither the manager nor the employees (A) / was willing to accept (B) / the terms that the company (C) / had proposed to them. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). When using 'neither...nor', the verb must agree with the nearest noun. Here, 'employees' (plural) is the nearest noun to the verb, so the correct form should be 'were willing' instead of 'was willing'. The rule is: with 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the noun closest to it.

Question 17

Identify the error in the sentence below:

While the government has announced (A) / several new policies, few of the citizens (B) / understands how these measures (C) / will affect their daily lives. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). The subject 'few of the citizens' is plural, so the verb should be 'understand' (plural) instead of 'understands' (singular). The determiner 'few' is inherently plural and requires a plural verb form.

Question 18

In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.

"All of the information (A) provided in the report (B) are relevant (C) to our investigation. (D) No error (E)"

A) All of the information
B) provided in the report
C) are relevant
D) to our investigation
E) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). The subject 'all of the information' is singular (information is an uncountable noun), so the verb must be 'is' not 'are'. Correct form: 'All of the information provided in the report is relevant to our investigation.'

Question 19

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

Neither of the two proposals (A) / are acceptable (B) / to the management (C) / because of their flaws. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). 'Neither' is a singular determiner, so the verb must be singular 'is', not plural 'are'. The correct form is: 'Neither of the two proposals is acceptable to the management because of their flaws.'

Question 20

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

A number of employees (A) / has attended (B) / the training programme (C) / last week. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). When 'a number of' is used, the verb must be plural 'have', not singular 'has'. The correct form is: 'A number of employees have attended the training programme last week.'

Question 21

In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.

"Each of the students (A) have submitted (B) their assignments (C) on time. (D) No error (E)"

A) Each of the students
B) have submitted
C) their assignments
D) on time
E) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'Each of the students' is singular (the determiner 'each' is always singular), so the verb must be 'has' not 'have'. Correct form: 'Each of the students has submitted their assignments on time.'

Question 22

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

All of the information (A) / provided in the report (B) / are relevant (C) / to the case. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). 'Information' is an uncountable noun, and 'all of the information' requires a singular verb 'is', not plural 'are'. The correct form is: 'All of the information provided in the report is relevant to the case.'

Question 23

In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.

"A number of employees (A) has requested (B) for a meeting (C) with the director. (D) No error (E)"

A) A number of employees
B) has requested
C) for a meeting
D) with the director
E) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The phrase 'a number of' is plural, so the verb must be 'have' not 'has'. Correct form: 'A number of employees have requested a meeting with the director.' (Note: 'request' does not require 'for'; 'requested a meeting' is correct.)

Question 24

In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.

"Many of the candidates (A) who applied for the position (B) does not possess (C) the required qualifications. (D) No error (E)"

A) Many of the candidates
B) who applied for the position
C) does not possess
D) the required qualifications
E) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (C). The subject 'many of the candidates' is plural, so the verb must be 'do not possess' not 'does not possess'. Correct form: 'Many of the candidates who applied for the position do not possess the required qualifications.'

Question 25

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

Each of the students (A) / have submitted (B) / their assignments (C) / on time. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). 'Each' is a singular determiner, so the verb must be singular 'has', not plural 'have'. The correct form is: 'Each of the students has submitted their assignments on time.'

Question 26

In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.

"Neither of the two proposals (A) are acceptable (B) to the management (C) at this moment. (D) No error (E)"

A) Neither of the two proposals
B) are acceptable
C) to the management
D) at this moment
E) No error

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The determiner 'neither' is singular, so the verb must be 'is' not 'are'. Correct form: 'Neither of the two proposals is acceptable to the management at this moment.'

Question 27

Identify the error in the sentence:

The committee (A) / have decided (B) / that each of the members (C) / should submit their report by Friday. (D) / No error (E)

Accepted Answer

The error is in part (B). The subject 'committee' is a collective noun that is singular in British English when referring to the group as a single unit. Therefore, the verb should be 'has decided' (singular), not 'have decided' (plural). In British English, collective nouns typically take singular verbs unless the emphasis is on individual members acting separately.

SSC CHSL Determiners

SSC CHSL Determiners — Past Exam Questions

Determiners— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Determiners — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Determiners