Phrase Replacement is a frequently tested topic in the English Language section of the SBI PO exam, especially in the Mains stage. This topic is included in the error detection and sentence improvement topics that are usually asked in the SBI PO exam every year. They have low to moderate weightage in the SBI PO Prelims exam and moderate to high weightage in the SBI PO Mains exam. These questions test your understanding of tenses, subject-verb agreement, common idiomatic expressions, sentence structure, and context. Read on to know the basic concepts to tackle phrase replacement questions in the exam.
Phrase Replacement is a common topic in the English Language section of the SBI PO Prelims and Mains. In this type of question, a part of a sentence (usually underlined or in bold) is grammatically incorrect, awkward, or contextually inappropriate. You need to identify the correct phrase from the given options or mark it as “No correction required.”
What is tested through the Phrase Replacement question?
There are generally six types of Phrase Replacement questions that are asked in the SBI PO exam. They are: Grammar-based questions, contextual phrase-based questions, idiom/phrase-based questions, error spotting type of question, better alternative type of question, and sentence structure-based question.
These test your knowledge of grammar rules like tenses, modals, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, etc.
Example:
She go to market every Saturday.
Options:
A) going to market
B) goes to the market
C) go to the market
D) is going market
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: B) goes to the market
You must choose the phrase that best fits the sentence contextually, even if the grammar seems okay.
Example:
The company needs to cut corners if it wants to survive the recession.
Options:
A) spend more money
B) reduce costs
C) take sharp turns
D) hire more staff
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: B) reduce costs
(“cut corners” means to reduce expenses)
These questions test your understanding of idiomatic usage or phrasal verbs.
Example:
The boss was angry and called off the meeting.
Options:
A) put off
B) set off
C) called in
D) called up
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: E) No correction required
(“called off” = canceled, which is correct in context)
The question may underline a phrase and ask you to replace it with the correct version if it has an error in tense, structure, or word order.
Example:
The team has been worked hardly to meet the deadline.
Options:
A) working hard
B) work hard
C) worked hard
D) working hardly
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: A) working hard
Sometimes, a part of the sentence is grammatically fine but can be improved stylistically or logically.
Example:
Although he was tired, he completed his work with much difficulty.
Options:
A) he worked more difficulty
B) he finished his work hardly
C) he managed to finish his work
D) he completed his task to difficulty
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: C) he managed to finish his work
These involve awkward construction or incorrect word order that affects sentence flow or clarity.
Example:
She only not speaks English but also French.
Options:
A) She speaks not only English but also French
B) She does not only speak English but also French
C) She speaks English and also French
D) She not only speaks English but also French
E) No correction required
Correct Answer: D) She not only speaks English but also French
In the Prelims exam, 2–5 questions may be included under error detection or sentence improvement. And in the Mains exam, 5-7 questions are asked in different formats.
| SBI PO Prelims | 2 to 5 questions (expected) |
| SBI PO Mains | 5 to 7 questions (expected) |
The manager warned the team that unless the project is completed by Friday, they will have to work over the weekend.
A. would have to
B. shall have to
C. should have to
D. must have to
E. No correction required
Correct Answer: A. would have to
Explanation:
The sentence uses “unless,” which sets a condition in the future. The correct conditional structure is “unless + present tense, subject + would + base verb.” So, “they will have to” should be replaced with “they would have to.”
Check for common errors in the sentences given to you and replace them with the correct option. Some examples of common errors in the phrase replacement question are provided below.
| Error Type | Example | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Tense mismatch | If he will come, we will go. | If he comes, we will go. |
| Modals misuse | He must to finish the task soon. | He must finish the task. |
| Preposition errors | He is good in English. | He is good at English. |
| Idioms/Phrasing | She took the thing lightly. | She took it lightly. |
Follow the below given tips to solve the phrase replacement questions effectively.
Tip 1: Read the full sentence carefully to understand the context.
Tip 2: Spot grammatical errors in the original phrase.
Tip 3: Eliminate incorrect options by applying grammar rules.
Tip 4: Check for idiomatic correctness and tone.
Tip 5: Choose the option that fits both grammatically and contextually.
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In SBI PO Mains, you can expect around 5 to 7 questions based on Phrase Replacement. In Prelims, it’s either 0 or up to 2 questions occasionally.
Yes, the difficulty level is moderate to high in Mains. Many options are close in meaning and grammatically similar, requiring strong grammar and vocabulary skills to spot the right one.
Yes, some good resources include: SP Bakshi (Arihant) – Objective General English, Wren & Martin – High School Grammar, and Online platforms like PracticeMock for topic-wise mocks.
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