The SBI Clerk Prelims 2025 exam is just around the corner, and with limited time left, candidates must focus on smart preparation rather than covering every topic randomly. In the English section, one of the most frequently asked and high-weightage topics is Error Detection. This topic tests your grammar knowledge and your ability to quickly find out mistakes in sentences under time pressure. To solve it, you should revise key grammar rules such as subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, article usage, prepositions, and pronoun accuracy. While solving questions, carefully read the sentence, break it into parts, and check for grammar or contextual mismatches. So in this blog, we will provide you how to solve error detection questions for SBI Clerk Exam.
Tips to Solve Error Detection Questions for SBI Clerk Exam
When you are sitting in the exam hall, error detection questions always feel like a trap. When I was preparing, I realized that solving them is not about mugging grammar rules, but also it is about training your eyes to “catch” mistakes quickly, almost like spotting typos in a text message. The best way to approach these questions is to build a strong habit of reading. Read newspapers, blogs, or even novels daily, but don’t just read; observe how sentences are framed. Soon, your brain will start noticing when something “sounds off.”
Another tip is to stop rushing. Many students, including me earlier, used to scan the whole sentence at once and miss the small errors. Break the sentence into parts like subject, verb, object, and connectors and check each part logically. Think of it as puzzle-solving. Also, learn to eliminate options smartly in multiple-choice error spotting, because sometimes you don’t need to know the exact grammar rule; you just need to recognize what “looks odd.”
Finally, don’t treat grammar as boring rules. Treat it like every sentence has a structure, and you are the debugger. If you start enjoying that mindset, error detection will turn into one of your strongest scoring areas in the SBI Clerk exam.
Some Rules for Solving Error Spotting Questions
1. Singular subjects joined by “or/nor” take a singular verb.
Example:
Incorrect: Neither Ram nor Shyam are guilty.
Correct: Neither Ram nor Shyam is guilty.
2. Two singular subjects joined by “and” usually take a plural verb.
Example:
Incorrect: My friend and guide is always helpful.
Correct: My friend and guide are always helpful.
3. Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs depending on the sense.
Example:
Correct: The committee is giving its final decision. (As one unit)
Correct: The committee are divided in their opinions. (As individuals)
4. Each, Every, Either, Neither are always followed by a singular verb.
Examples:
Correct: Each student is responsible for his work.
Correct: Every boy is ready for the test.
Correct: Either of the pens is useful.
Correct: Neither of the boys is selected.
5. Words like “everyone, someone, nobody, anybody” are singular.
Example:
Incorrect: Everyone have completed the task.
Correct: Everyone has completed the task.
6. With “a number of” we use a plural verb; with “the number of” we use a singular verb.
Example:
Incorrect: A number of students is present.
Correct: A number of students are present.
Incorrect: The number of students are high.
Correct: The number of students is high.
7. Much is used for uncountable nouns; Many for countable nouns.
Examples:
Incorrect: He has much friends in Delhi.
Correct: He has many friends in Delhi.
Correct: He does not have much patience.
8. Little / A little / The little – show quantity of uncountable nouns.
Examples:
Correct: He has little hope of success. (Almost none)
Correct: He has a little money left with him. (Some)
Correct: He spent the little time he had in studying. (The small amount available)
9. Use “between” for two and “among” for more than two.
Examples:
Incorrect: The money was divided among Ram and Shyam.
Correct: The money was divided between Ram and Shyam.
Correct: The books were distributed among the students.
10. Comparative degree – normally followed by “than”, but adjectives ending in -ior (junior, senior, superior, inferior, prior, anterior, posterior) are followed by “to”.
Examples:
Correct: She is taller than her sister.
Correct: He is senior to me in this office.
Incorrect: He is senior than me in this office.
Disclaimer: The error detection rules, examples, and tips shared in this blog are for practice and guidance only. They are illustrative, not official SBI Clerk exam content. Actual exam questions may differ in format or difficulty. Candidates should always consult official SBI Clerk notices for authentic information.
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FAQs
These are grammar-based questions where you have to spot the incorrect word or phrase in a sentence.
You have to learn learn basic grammar rules of tense, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, and pronouns.
You should focus on subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, articles, and prepositions.
Ideally, 1–1.5 minutes per question.
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