Important Spotting Error Questions For SBI Clerk Exam

SBI Clerk is a highly competitive exam conducted for one of India’s most prominent job positions. At the national level, the SBI Clerk Exam is held once a year in a computer-based online mode. Candidates who pass the SBI Clerk preliminary exam will be eligible to take the SBI Clerk Mains exam, which will be followed by a language test in their home country.

In this article, we are giving you some practice questions on error spotting from the English comprehension portion in the pattern of the SBI Clerk Exam.

Direction (1-7): In the given question, a sentence is divided into five parts, out of which the last part is correct. Out of the remaining four, there are errors in three parts. Choose the part that doesn’t have an error. If all four parts are correct, mar k Option – E, i.e., ‘All are correct,’ as the answer.

1. Transcendence happen when you discover from your own experience (A)/ that restraint is more satisfying than indulgence (B)./ Discipline may still need to manage (C)/ a desire, not whole disappeared, but it is done with a wholesome attitude (D)./ Guilt plays no part in it.

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – B
Solution: In part A, “Transcendence” is a singular subject, and it will take a singular verb, thus “happen” should be changed to “happens.”
In part C, “may still need” should be changed to “may still be needed” as “discipline is needed,” thus it should be passive.
In part D, “whole” (an adjective) should be replaced with “wholly” (an adverb) because “disappeared” is a verb and an adverb is required to qualify it.
There is no error in part B.

2. This is causing stress (A)/ for commercial-vehicle operators, (B) /for who fuel accounts (C)/ for a significant proportion of overall costs (D).

A. This is caused stress
B. for commercial-vehicle operators
C. for who fuel accounts
D. for significant
E. all are correct

Answer: Option – C
Solution: In part A, “caused” should be replaced with “causing” to show the ongoing activities through the use of present continuous. 
In part C, ‘for’ is a preposition after which the objective pronoun “whom” should be used. “Whom” is used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition, while “who” is used to refer to the subject of a preposition. When in doubt, use “Who” for “he/she,” and “Whom” for “him/her.”
In part D, “proportion” is a countable noun before which an indefinite article “a” should be used, which is “a significant proportion.” “Significant” also refers to an amount or effect that is large enough to be significant or have a noteworthy impact on a situation.

3. After many unreasoning (A)/ vituperation, Irish Catholic civil governor (B),/ who arrived (C) /among the acclamations of all left his post in disgust (D).

A. After many unreasoning
B. vituperation, Irish Catholic civil governor
C. who arrived
D. among the acclamations of all
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – C
Solution: In part A, many should be replaced with “much” as vituperation, which means a language that is full of hate, anger, or insults, is an uncountable noun and thus cannot have “many” before it.
In part B, when the name of any nation is used as an adjective, “the” should be used before it.
The American University, the Indian government, the Pakistani terrorists, etc.
In part D, “among” should be replaced with “amidst” because “among” is often used with people, or when distinguishing among choices, and “amidst” as “being in the middle of or surrounded by something.”

4. When something is accepted (A) /a superstition without researching (B) /and investigation it properly, (C)/ then, that is tantamount to create an even greater superstition (D).

A. When something is accepted
B. a superstition without researching
C. and investigation it properly
D. then, that is tantamount to create
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – A
Solution: There is no error in part A.
In part B, “as” should be used after “accepted.” We accept something/someone as something someone, for eg.,

I accepted her as my sister.
She is accepted by me as my sister.

In part C, “investigation”- a noun, should be replaced with “investigating”- a gerund because an object “it” is given, thus a gerund is required, which can act as a partial verb as well.
In part D, “to create”, an infinitive, should be replaced with “to creating”. “To” has been used as a preposition here, and not a part of the “infinitive”.

5. Into a school, if a (A) /teacher’s superstitions are visible (B) /in their gem-laden fingers or in (C) /the black mark to advent the evil eye, what scientific temper can they foster (D)?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – B
Solution: There is no error in part B. 
In part A, “into” should be replaced by “in”. The difference between in and into is based on movement. When something or someone is moving or being put into another area, the preposition “into” is used. The fingers are laden with gems in section C, which means the diamonds are placed on the fingers rather than in them.
In part D, the word advent is incorrectly used. The evil eye is supposed to be avoided. The word “advent” means the arrival of a notable person or thing and hence doesn’t fit in the context. We need a word closer in meaning to prevent. “Avert” could be the best fit here.
The correct sentence is, “In a school, if a teacher’s superstitions are visible on their gem-laden fingers or in the black mark to avert the evil eye, what scientific temper can they foster?”

6. Consumer good companies across beverages, (A) /processed foods and alcohol have begun exploring (B) /alternate packaging solutions, including glass, (C) /to reducing the use of plastic on mounting concerns over plastic waste and possible bans by more state governments (D).

A. Consumer good companies across beverages,
B. processed foods and alcohol have begun exploring
C. alternate packaging solutions, including glass,
D. to reducing the use of plastic on mounting concerns over plastic waste,
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – B
Solution: In part A, “Good” should be replaced with “goods,” and it means “freight, cargo, etc.”
In part C, “alternate” should be replaced with “alternative,” “alternative” means another possibility or choice whereas “alternate” means occur in turn repeatedly. And as per the context, another possibility of packaging solutions is looked for.
In part D, “to reducing” should be replaced with “to reduce” because an infinitive is used to show purpose or intention. Exploration has begun for a purpose, and that purpose is “to reduce.”

7. Over past four months, regulations for the ban (A) /on plastic packaging have changed three times (B). /The latest notification by the state government issued (C) /the ban on all PET bottles small than 200 ml, directly impacting sectors such as liquor and processed foods (D).

A. Over past four months, regulations for the ban
B. on plastic packaging have changed three times.
C. The latest notification by the state government issued
D. the ban on all PET bottles small than 200 ml,
E. All are correct

Answer: Option – C
Solution: In part A, “the” should be used before “past four months” because a specific duration is given, thus “the past four months” is correct.
In part B, “been” should be used after “have” and before “changed”. This part of the sentence should be in the passive as “regulations” will be changed by someone else.
In part D, “small” should be replaced with “smaller” as a comparative degree of “small” is required as the comparison is being made between “all bottles” and “bottles smaller than 200 ml.”
There is no error in part C.

Direction (8-15): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence, and the number of that part will be the answer. If there is no error, mark Option – E as the answer.

8. Both Argentina and Cuba received short (1)/ term experts on adult education, the (2)/ former to advise on adult education planning, and (3)/ the later on programmed instruction for adult workers (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – D
Solution: Replace ‘later’ with “latter.” “Later” is the comparative degree of “late,” while “latter” is the antonym of “former.” ‘Later’ gives the sense of time, while ‘latter’ expresses place or position.
So, the correct answer is option D.

9. By constructing a church taller than (1)/ any building, Harry hoped to restore the (2)/ primacy of Christianity in society and to bring (3)/ back order and safety to the world (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – B
Solution: Add ‘other’ after ‘any’ in the expression ‘any building, Harry hoped to.’ When making a comparative comparison, the thing being compared should be excluded from the class of things being compared by employing the word ‘other’ or some such word.
So, the correct answer is option B.

10. Shantanu is more brave than wiser, (1)/ a trait which has led him into (2)/ tricky situations, many a (3)/ times in the last few months (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – A
Solution: Replace ‘wiser’ with ‘wise.’ When two qualities of the same person or thing are to be compared, the comparative degree formed by – er should not be used. In their place, the comparative degree should be made by adding more or less to the adjective concerned.
So, the correct answer is option A.

11. The optimist believes that this (1)/ is the best of all other possible (2)/ worlds, and the pessimist fears (3)/ that this might be the case (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – B
Solution: Remove ‘other’ placed after ‘all.’ ‘Other’ is not used with a superlative degree of adjective. With an adjective of Comparative Degree, “other” is used when the comparison is within the same class or category, but it is not so with a Superlative Adjective.
So, the correct answer is option B.

12. Instead of assuming the position of an (1)/ elderly statesman, Caesar continued to consolidate (2)/ his power, eventually removing the (3)/ last vestiges of the Rector-ideal (4).

A. Instead of assuming the position of an
B. elderly statesman, Caesar continued to consolidate
C. his power, eventually removing the
D. last vestiges of the Rector-ideal
E. No error

Answer: Option – B
Solution: Replace ‘elderly’ with ’elder.’ We refer to an “older statesman” in politics and government. This term refers to a politician with extensive political experience. Whereas an “elderly statesman” is a statesman in his senior years, a senior statesman.
So, the correct answer is option B.

13. The community cared for young girls from the (1)/ Akha Hill Tribe and provided them with (2)/ a safe haven where they could secure (3)/ a more brighter future through education (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – D
Solution: Remove ‘more’ placed before ‘superior.’ The use of the term “double comparative” applies to the incorrect use of two comparative forms together. In this case, more is not required as the comparative adjective form has been modified by the addition of ‘-er.’
So, the correct answer is option D.

14. Since the radius of Jupiter’s (1)/ orbit is only five times less (2)/ than the earth, its real velocity is, (3)/ therefore, less than that of the earth (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – C
Solution: Add ‘that of’ after ‘than.’ When two persons, things, or qualities are to be compared, care should be taken to see that the comparison is made between the correct persons or things. In part 3, two different things are being compared; the radius of Jupiter’s orbit to Earth, which is incorrect. The comparison should be between the radius of the orbits of both planets.
So, the correct answer is option C.

15. The Bachelorette, which started as a (1)/ spin-off of The Bachelor, has now (2)/ become as good as, if not more (3)/ popular than the original show (4).

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. No error

Answer: Option – E
Solution: The sentence is correct as it is.
Sometimes both the comparative and the positive degree adjectives are used in a single sentence. In such sentences, the positive degree adjective should be used with as……as (not with one as only) and the comparative degree adjective with ‘than.’
So, the correct answer is option E.