IBPS PO General Awareness: Error Spotting questions with solutions

Q1. A sentence contains a highlighted phrase that may be grammatically incorrect. Choose the most appropriate option from the given alternatives to replace the highlighted phrase and correct the sentence. If the highlighted phrase is correct as it is, choose "No replacement required". Proper financial planning, on addition of keeping us by falling into debt, helps us achieve long-term financial goals and stability.

1. by addition in keeping us from
2. in addition for keeping us of
3. on addition to keeping us by
4. in addition to keeping us from

Answer: in addition to keeping us from

The phrase should be "in addition to" and the verb phrase should be "keeping us from". Together, they make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful. The other options are ungrammatical.

Q2. The recently discovered hundreds of graves in Canada have put the spotlight back on its dark past, when indigenous people faced systemic discrimination and violence.

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D

Answer: A

The phrase 'recently discovery' is grammatically incorrect. It should be 'recently discovered' because the sentence refers to a completed action in the past. The error is in part A.

Q3. Diabetes affects many people around the world.

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D

Answer: A

The subject "Diabetes" is singular, so the verb should be "affects" rather than "affect." Therefore, the error is in part A.

Q4. In the following question, four sentences are given, out of which only one is incorrect. Identify the incorrect sentence and mark it as the answer. If all the given sentences are correct, then mark “All are correct” as the answer. (a) Neither the board members nor the CEO was willing to compromise on the merger terms. (b) They were praised both for finishing the project early and for demonstrating leadership under pressure. (c) By the time the presentation began, most attendees had already found their seats and settled in. (d) He avoided to speak during the meeting, fearing he might say something inappropriate. (e) All are correct

1. Neither the board members nor the CEO was willing to compromise on the merger terms.
2. They were praised both for finishing the project early and for demonstrating leadership under pressure.
3. By the time the presentation began, most attendees had already found their seats and settled in.
4. He avoided to speak during the meeting, fearing he might say something inappropriate.

Answer: He avoided to speak during the meeting, fearing he might say something inappropriate.

The sentence is incorrect because ‘avoid’ is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive. It should be ‘He avoided speaking during the meeting...’

Q5. Identify the error in the sentence: The pump shut off as a result of a mechanikal failure.

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

Answer: 4

The word "mechanikal" is misspelled. The correct spelling is "mechanical". The rest of the sentence is grammatically acceptable.

Q6. A recent study has absorbd (A) that the skin may revealed (B) up to 60 per cent of the chemicals (C) in makeup products (D) it comes in contact with.

1. B - C
2. C - D
3. A - C
4. A - B

Answer: A - B

The phrase should be "has absorbed" instead of "has absorbd," and "may reveal" instead of "may revealed." Therefore, the errors are in A and B. The correct answer is A - B.

Q7. There was no dearth of Ayurvedic medicines to alleviate pain in patients suffering from cancer.

1. dearth
2. medicines
3. alleviate
4. patients

Answer: alleviate

The word 'allaviate' is misspelled; the correct spelling is 'alleviate'. The other words are acceptable in the sentence.

Q8. Political action groups lay (1) in wait for companies that stumble (2) in their conduct and treatment (3) of multiple stakeholders (4).

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

Answer: 3

The noun 'companies' is plural, so the pronoun should also be plural. 'Its' is incorrect here; it should be 'their'. Therefore, the error is in part (3).