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Chapter 3 of 20

Error Detection

Spotting the one grammatically incorrect segment in a sentence — a chapter that rewards systematic rule-checking over gut instinct.

📖 ~9 min read ✍️ Banking English Language

Introduction

Error Detection questions split a sentence into 3-4 segments and ask which one (if any) contains a grammatical error. Accuracy here comes from checking each segment against a mental checklist of common error categories rather than reading the sentence for "what sounds right."

Common Error Categories to Check

CategoryWhat to Check
Subject-Verb AgreementSingular subject with singular verb, plural with plural
Tense ConsistencyTense matches the sentence's timeline and doesn't shift illogically
Preposition UsageCorrect preposition paired with the verb/adjective (e.g., "different from," not "different than")
Article UsageCorrect use of a/an/the, or unnecessary article insertion
ParallelismItems in a list or comparison use the same grammatical form
Pronoun AgreementPronoun matches its antecedent in number and gender
Q. Find the error: "Each of the employees / have submitted / their reports on time."
"Each of the employees" is a singular subject (governed by "each"), so it requires the singular verb "has," not "have." The error is in the second segment: "have submitted" should be "has submitted".
Q. Find the error: "The manager, along with his team, / are reviewing / the quarterly targets."
"Along with his team" is a parenthetical phrase and does not make the subject plural — the subject remains "the manager" (singular), so the verb should be "is," not "are." The error is in the second segment: "are reviewing" should be "is reviewing".
⚠️ Key Insight: Phrases like "along with," "as well as," "together with," and "in addition to" do NOT make a singular subject plural — the verb still agrees with the original singular subject, a very frequently tested trap.
💡 Exam Tip: Read each segment against your checklist independently rather than reading the whole sentence for a "natural feel" — many errors are grammatically wrong but still sound acceptable in casual speech.
✅ Practice Focus: Subject-verb agreement with tricky singular subjects · Preposition pairing · Parallelism in lists and comparisons · Identifying "No Error" cases confidently.

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