SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 17 September 2025, Shift 1 · English Comprehension · Question 10 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: The draft policy outlines (1)/ that each employee must adhere to (2)/ the code of conduct (3)/ irrespective of their position. (4)/

(a)(1)
(b)(2)
(c)(3)
(d)(4)

Answer

Why

Correct — D. The pronoun in part (4) refers back to each employee in part (2).

Each + singular noun is singular, and under the traditional agreement rule a singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun: irrespective of his or her position.

Part (4) has plural their, so it is the part the key marks → option (d).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
(1) — The draft policy outlines pairs a singular subject, policy, with a singular verb, outlines. The agreement holds, so part (1) is not where the fault lies.
(b)
(2) — Each employee must is sound: each takes a singular noun, the modal must needs no agreement ending, and adhere takes its usual preposition, to.
(c)
(3) — The code of conduct names one specific code, so the definite article fits, and the phrase completes adhere to as its object.

Concept

A pronoun agrees in number with the noun it refers back to, its antecedent.

Each, every, either and neither before a noun make it singular: each employee, every student. Traditional grammar follows them with a singular pronoun, his or her or his, not their.

In error-spotting, find the antecedent first, then check every pronoun that points back to it. Here the two sit in different parts, (2) and (4).

Singular their after each employee is common in everyday English. Wiktionary notes that some grammarians have condemned it since 1795 as a breach of traditional agreement rules.

This key applies that traditional rule.

Key facts

Each + singular noun takes a singular verb: each employee has, each employee is.
Under the traditional rule, each + singular noun takes a singular pronoun: his or her position.
An antecedent is the noun a pronoun refers back to.
Adhere takes the preposition to: adhere to the code of conduct.

Study next

Pronoun agreement with everyone, anybody, either and neitherEach of + plural noun with a singular verb: each of the employees isAgreement across long phrases between subject and verb

Common traps

Checking the verb after each employee, finding the modal must, and missing the pronoun two parts later.
Passing over their because it sounds natural in speech, when the key applies the formal singular rule.

Agreement also decides 22 Sep 2025, 09:00, English Q.16, where the verb follows the nearer subject: 'Neither the manager nor the employees has submitted' is keyed wrong at part (2).

There their performance logs stands, because it points back to the plural employees.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Error spotting — all 121 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.