In this error spotting question, identify the part that contains the verb agreement error in the sentence about Judaism, spirituality, and values.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question deals with subject verb agreement in a sentence about Judaism and spirituality. The sentence describes spirituality as a process involving values and beliefs that give purpose and guidance to our lives. One part of the sentence contains a verb that does not correctly match its plural subject. Recognising and correcting such agreement errors is a key skill for accurate English writing and competitive exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Part 1: Judaism says spirituality is a process of personal
  • Part 2: transformation, involving values and beliefs that
  • Part 3: provides purpose and guidance for our living.
  • Part 4: No error
  • The subject of the verb in part 3 is values and beliefs, which is plural.


Concept / Approach:
Subject verb agreement means that singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. In this sentence, the relative clause that provides purpose and guidance has a plural subject, values and beliefs. Therefore, the verb should be provide, not provides. The error is thus located in part 3, where the singular verb form incorrectly follows a plural subject. Parts 1 and 2 correctly describe the process and involve no grammatical problems.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence and locate the main verb in the clause beginning with that. Step 2: Identify the subject of this clause as values and beliefs, which is clearly plural. Step 3: Check the verb used, provides, and see that it is a singular form. Step 4: Replace provides with provide mentally to ensure agreement: values and beliefs that provide purpose. Step 5: Conclude that the error in subject verb agreement lies in part 3.


Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence with the correction: Judaism says spirituality is a process of personal transformation, involving values and beliefs that provide purpose and guidance for our living. Reading this version aloud shows that it flows smoothly and aligns with standard English grammar. Since the only change needed was in part 3, where we switched provides to provide, we can confidently say that part 3 contains the error. Parts 1 and 2 already used correct forms and need no modification.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part 1 correctly uses is a process of personal transformation to describe spirituality, with no disagreement between subject and verb.

Part 2 appropriately uses involving to introduce a phrase that explains what the process includes; values and beliefs is a correct plural noun phrase.

Part 4 states No error, which is incorrect because we have clearly identified the mismatch between plural subject and singular verb in part 3.


Common Pitfalls:
Many learners focus only on the nearest noun before the verb and may mistakenly think that the singular word beliefs or purpose controls the verb. However, when two nouns are joined by and, like values and beliefs, the subject becomes plural and must take a plural verb. A good habit is to mentally underline the full subject and then check the form of the verb, especially in relative clauses introduced by that or which.


Final Answer:
The error is in part 3; the verb should be provide instead of provides.

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