In the following sentence, some part of the sentence may contain an error. Identify the part that has an error, or select "No error" if the sentence is grammatically correct. Sentence: Each boy was given a toy as a parting gift, which made them happy.

Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question tests correct agreement between singular and plural forms of pronouns, especially after the distributive determiner "each". The sentence describes individual boys each receiving a toy, and then describes who was made happy. You must identify if there is a grammatical mismatch in number or reference.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Part A: "Each boy was given"
• Part B: "a toy as a parting gift,"
• Part C: "which made them happy."
• Part D: "No error"
• The full sentence is: "Each boy was given a toy as a parting gift, which made them happy."

Concept / Approach:
The word "each" is a distributive pronoun that takes a singular noun and a singular verb: "Each boy was given". Therefore, the natural pronoun to refer back to "each boy" in formal exam English is also singular, traditionally "him" or "him or her". Although modern informal English sometimes allows singular "they", competitive examinations typically expect strict agreement and avoid mixing "each" with "them" when referring back to individual boys. Here, "made them happy" suggests a plural referent, which conflicts with the distributive singular sense of "each". The clause should read "which made him happy" or be rephrased to keep consistent number.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Check part A, "Each boy was given". This is correct: "each" takes a singular noun "boy" and singular verb "was".Step 2: Check part B, "a toy as a parting gift,". This phrase correctly describes what was given and contains no obvious error in structure or meaning.Step 3: Check part C, "which made them happy." The relative pronoun "which" refers back to the entire situation of being given a toy. The pronoun "them" is plural, but the earlier subject is "each boy", conceptually singular.Step 4: Recognise that, in formal written English expected in many exams, the sentence should be "which made him happy" or rephrased as "and this made each of them happy". The current structure mixes singular and plural references.Step 5: Conclude that part C contains the error. Therefore, the correct answer is not "No error".

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence correctly: "Each boy was given a toy as a parting gift, which made him happy." Now the singular pronoun "him" clearly refers back to "each boy" taken one at a time. Another correct alternative would be: "All the boys were given toys as parting gifts, which made them happy." In that version, both "boys" and "them" are plural and agree in number. The original sentence mixes a singular distributive subject with a plural pronoun, which looks inconsistent in exam conditions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part A uses the correct singular verb "was" after "Each boy", so there is no subject verb disagreement. Part B only adds details about the gift and is grammatically sound. Part D ("No error") is incorrect because an error has been identified in part C. Therefore, only part C can be chosen as the segment to improve.

Common Pitfalls:
In everyday spoken English, people increasingly use singular "they" and "them" to avoid gendered pronouns, even after "each". Some exam setters still follow more traditional grammar rules and do not accept that usage in error spotting questions. To be safe in competitive exams, it is wise to maintain strict number agreement: singular with singular and plural with plural, especially following words like "each", "every", "either" and "neither".

Final Answer:
The error is in part C, because "them" should be replaced with a singular pronoun to agree with "each boy". Hence, part C is the correct choice.