Error spotting (bank/SSC direction): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) in the sentence — mark D if there is no error — 'At the end of the year / every student who had done adequate work / was automatically promoted. / No error.' Carefully evaluate subject–verb agreement, clause tense, and determiners.
Verbal Ability
Spotting Errors
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
-
AAt the end of the year
-
Bevery student who had done adequate work
-
Cwas automatically promoted.
-
DNo error.
Answer
Correct Answer: No error.
Explanation
Given data
- A. At the end of the year
- B. every student who had done adequate work
- C. was automatically promoted.
- D. No error.
Concept/ApproachCheck (i) subject–verb agreement: singular head 'every student' → singular verb 'was'; (ii) tense sequencing: past perfect ('had done') for prior work before the promotion event; (iii) modifiers: prepositional opener is fine.
Step-by-step validation1) Head noun = 'every student' → singular → 'was' is correct.2) Prior action 'had done adequate work' before promotion → past perfect is appropriate.3) No punctuation/idiom issues affecting grammar.
Common pitfallsReplacing 'was' with 'were' (incorrect with 'every').
Final AnswerD — No error.