Sentence Correction Under Time Pressure
A candidate is attempting a 20-question verbal ability section in 15 minutes. Question 14 reads: 'Neither the squadron leader nor the pilots was aware of the change in the sortie timing, and each of them were asked to report to the operations room immediately.' The candidate spots three possible errors: (i) 'was' should be 'were' after 'neither...nor'; (ii) 'were' should be 'was' after 'each'; (iii) 'sortie timing' should be 'sortie timings'. With 90 seconds left and four questions unread, the candidate must decide whether to fix one, two, or all three errors, or skip the question.
1. Identify the grammatically correct number of errors and justify each decision using subject-verb agreement rules.
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Error (i) - not an error. With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. The nearer subject is 'the pilots' (plural), so 'was' is wrong - it should be 'were'. Wait: re-read. The sentence says 'the pilots was aware'. So the verb is wrong and should be 'were'. The candidate's item (i) is therefore a real error.
Error (ii) - real error. 'Each of them' is singular and takes a singular verb: 'each of them was asked'. So 'were' must become 'was'.
Error (iii) - not an error. 'Sortie timing' as an abstract noun phrase is acceptable; 'timings' is not required. Do not 'fix' it.
Correct sentence: 'Neither the squadron leader nor the pilots were aware of the change in the sortie timing, and each of them was asked to report to the operations room immediately.'
So there are exactly two errors, not three. The candidate who 'fixes' all three would introduce an error.
2. Given 90 seconds and four unread questions, what is the optimal exam strategy, and what is the risk of the 'fix everything' instinct?
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Strategy:
- The two genuine errors are quick to apply - under 20 seconds. Mark the answer and move on.
- Do not spend time debating item (iii); it is a distractor designed to tempt over-correction.
- Allocate the remaining ~70 seconds to the four unread questions, answering at least by elimination.
Risk of 'fix everything': Over-correction is the most common verbal-ability trap. Candidates who 'improve' correct text lose marks on questions where the stem is already grammatical. The disciplined rule is: only change what a rule of grammar requires, never what sounds better.
Military aptitude link: This mirrors rules of engagement - act only on a positive identification, not on suspicion. The candidate who fires at every ambiguous target wastes ammunition and may hit a friendly.