The list of items (A) / ordered by the manager (B) / were submitted (C) / to the auditor. (D)

• A. The list of items
• B. ordered by the manager
• C. were submitted (Answer)
• D. No error

PROXIMITY TRAP: The verb 'were' agrees with 'items' (nearest noun), but the true subject is 'list' (singular). Correct form: 'was submitted'. Examiner plants a plural noun just before the verb to lure a proximity error.

Each of the proposals (A) / submitted by the senior consultants (B) / have been reviewed (C) / thoroughly. (D)

• A. Each of the proposals
• B. submitted by the senior consultants
• C. have been reviewed (Answer)
• D. No error

DISTRIBUTIVE TRAP: 'Each' is always singular regardless of the plural noun that follows it. 'Each of the proposals has been reviewed' is correct. Students see 'proposals' and write 'have'.

Neither the chairman (A) / nor the board members (B) / was present (C) / at the emergency meeting. (D)

• A. Neither the chairman
• B. nor the board members
• C. was present (Answer)
• D. No error

NEITHER...NOR PROXIMITY RULE: When using 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 'Board members' is plural, so 'were present' is correct. The singular 'chairman' placed first misleads students into using 'was'.

The news about (A) / the rising inflation (B) / and unemployment (C) / are disturbing. (D)

• A. The news about
• B. the rising inflation
• C. and unemployment
• D. No error (Answer)

TRICK QUESTION: Wait — 'news' is always singular. The verb should be 'is disturbing', not 'are disturbing'. Error is in Part D (the implied verb construction). Actually, the error is: 'are' should be 'is'. Correct answer: D — but reconsider: 'are disturbing' in Part D IS the error location. Error is in Part D.

A number of candidates (A) / who had applied (B) / for the government post (C) / was rejected on medical grounds. (D)

• A. A number of candidates
• B. who had applied
• C. for the government post
• D. was rejected on medical grounds (Answer)

'A number of' = many, always takes a plural verb. 'Were rejected' is correct. Contrast: 'The number of' = how many, takes singular. Students confuse these two fixed phrases under exam pressure.

The committee, (A) / despite its diverse opinions, (B) / have decided (C) / to postpone the vote. (D)

• A. The committee,
• B. despite its diverse opinions,
• C. have decided (Answer)
• D. No error

COLLECTIVE NOUN TRAP: 'Committee' acts as a single unit here, so 'has decided' is correct. The phrase 'diverse opinions' suggests plurality, trapping students into writing 'have'. When the collective noun acts as one body, use singular verb.

Mathematics, (A) / along with Physics and Chemistry, (B) / are compulsory (C) / for engineering aspirants. (D)

• A. Mathematics,
• B. along with Physics and Chemistry,
• C. are compulsory (Answer)
• D. No error

PARENTHETICAL PHRASE TRAP: 'Along with' does not make the subject plural — it is a parenthetical addition. True subject is 'Mathematics' (singular). 'Is compulsory' is correct. Also, academic subjects ending in '-ics' take singular verbs.

One of the greatest challenges (A) / that face modern economies (B) / is the growing disparity (C) / between rural and urban incomes. (D)

• A. One of the greatest challenges
• B. that face modern economies
• C. is the growing disparity
• D. No error (Answer)

This is a CLEAN sentence — no error. 'One of the challenges that face' uses 'face' (plural) because the relative clause 'that' refers to 'challenges', not 'one'. The main verb 'is' correctly agrees with 'one'. Both parts are correct.

The data collected (A) / from over five hundred respondents (B) / suggests that (C) / rural literacy has improved. (D)

• A. The data collected
• B. from over five hundred respondents
• C. suggests that (Answer)
• D. No error

'Data' is technically plural (datum → data), so 'suggest' is the formally correct verb. However, in modern usage 'data' is increasingly treated as singular. For SSC/Banking exams, treat 'data' as plural: 'suggest that' is correct, 'suggests' is the error.

Every officer and every soldier (A) / who participated in the rescue operation (B) / were honoured (C) / by the President. (D)

• A. Every officer and every soldier
• B. who participated in the rescue operation
• C. were honoured (Answer)
• D. No error

'Every...and every...' always takes a singular verb, regardless of how many subjects follow. Students see the compound structure and use 'were'. Correct: 'was honoured'. Examiner uses a long relative clause between subject and verb to increase the distance.