Word Swapping | English Grammar

 Word Swapping

In the banking exams, word swapping is the most common topic asked by the examiner. Word Swapping is also known as error spotting vocabulary/ grammar-based. Spotting errors based on vocabulary is something in which you need to spot the sentences and errors i.e. the word (s) which is/are incorrect with the context. The word needs to be swapped and replaced with the correct word to form a contextually correct sentence.

Tips to Solve Word Swapping Test 

In this topic, one or more than one sentence will be given and in the given sentence four bold words will be there which are not in the correct order. We have to swap those words accordingly to make a coherent sentence.

Step #1: Read the Directions of the Given Particular Questions

Q. In the sentences, certain words are in bold and numbered from A to H, which are the possible pairs to be interchanged. Choose the pair(s) of words that need(s) to be interchanged to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.

Ans. As given in the directions there are sentences hence, from this we can conclude that there will be two sentences and in the given sentences the words are bolded and numbered from A to H. We have to interchange the possible pairs.

Step #2: Start Reading the Given Statements

Q. In the sentences, certain words are in bold and numbered from A to H, which are the possible pairs to be interchanged. Choose the pair(s) of words that need(s) to be interchanged to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.

1. Concerns have been paved (A) regarding the cryptocurrency (B) markets as there is substantially less investor protection(C) than in our traditional securities markets, with correspondingly greater opportunities for fraud and manipulation. (D)
2. The roads throughout(E) the State of Punjab are largely raised (F) and smooth,(G) even in the villages, and power cut- save (H) becomes a thing of the past.

Ans: If you see there are two sentences A and B, in these two sentences some words are bolded and we need to swap these words if the words are incorrectly placed.

Step #3: Try to Find Out Any Grammatical Relationship

The key is to find a relationship between the bolded words and the words which are placed before them.

• Let’s see the given example in Step- 2
• In sentence A, the word ‘paved’ is a past participle that is the third form of a verb which ‘cover with flat stones or bricks.’ Hence, it is incorrectly placed according to meaning. We know that we want a verb there and among the highlighted words there is only one verb i.e. ‘raised’. Hence, it is the correct answer.
• So the correct answer is A-F

Word Swapping Practice Problems

Q. In the sentences, certain words are in bold and numbered from A to H, which are the possible pairs to be interchanged. Choose the pair(s) of words that need(s) to be interchanged to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.

1. Increasing its GDP should be the nation’s breach (A) strategic objective, notwithstanding the side effects (B) this same growth (C) might have on the present and future quality (D) of life of its citizens.
2. Along with the need (E) for a data protection law, all privacy prime (F) cases should be authorized (G) by the courts with the agency responsible (H) being held to account- not only by the executive but also the parliament.

Answer: Let us look at the sentences in the following way:-

1. Increasing it’s GDP should be the nation’s _______ (A) strategic objective, notwithstanding the side _______ (B) this same _______ (C) might have on the present and future ______ (D) of life of its citizens.
2. Along with the _____ (E) for a data protection law, all privacy _______ (F) cases should be _______ (G) by the courts with the agency _______(H) being held to account- not only by the executive but also the parliament.

• Prime: first importance; main. The sentence ‘a’ mentions that increasing its GDP should be a nation’s main strategic objective. Thus, ‘prime’ goes well with the context. Also, the use of ‘breach’ here gives an absurd meaning. Hence, (A) must be swapped.
• Breach: an act of breaking a law, promise, agreement, or relationship. We are talking about the need for a data protection law and that all privacy-breaking cases should be authorized by the courts, so ‘breach’ goes well with the context. Also, breaking someone’s privacy can’t be a prime. Hence, (F) must be swapped.

Question 2: In the sentences, certain words are in bold and numbered from A to H, which are the possible pairs to be interchanged. Choose the pair(s) of words that need(s) to be interchanged to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.

1. Although many of its main figures are liberal (A) in economic terms, the party voters that Fernandez albeit (B) to court are in favour (C) of protectionist (D) policies for French companies.
2. The share of unbranded (E) sales may witness a downtrend, aims (F) slowly, as a large percentage of aspirational (G) consumers are no longer averse to the idea of opting for pricier and better quality product variants. (H)

Answer: Let us look at the sentences in the following way:

1. Although many of its main figures are ______ (A) in economic terms, the party voters that Fernandez ______ (B) took to court are in _______ (C) of ______ (D) policies for French companies.
2. The share of ______ (E) sales may witness a downtrend, ______ (F) slowly, as a large percentage of ______ (G) consumers are no longer averse to the idea of opting for pricier and better quality product _____ (H)

• Aims: (verb) point or direct at a target. The sentence ‘a’ talks about the party voters that Fernandez directs towards the court who are in favor of protectionist policies. Thus, ‘aims’ goes perfectly well with the context. Also, the use of ‘albeit’ here gives an absurd meaning. Hence, (B) must be swapped.
• Albeit: introduce a fact or comment which reduces the force or significance of what you have just said. We are talking about the share of unbranded sales that have witnessed a downtrend, ‘albeit’ goes well with the context. ‘albeit slowly’ means ‘their significance is reducing’. Also, the use of ‘aims’ here gives an absurd meaning. Hence, (F) must be swapped.

Question 3: In the sentences, certain words are in bold and numbered from A to H, which are the possible pairs to be interchanged. Choose the pair(s) of words that need(s) to be interchanged to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.

1. The problems of implementation (A) of a plastic ban are not unique (B) to India. Across the world, bans on plastic and taxation of plastic bags have threatened (C) mixed results, with many of them failing (D) even in the developed world.
2. At the press conference (E) after he met with Kim, Trump disclosed (F) that he had agreed (G) to stop the war games, that is, the US’ joint military exercises with South Korea that repeatedly achieved (H) North Korea with war.

Answer: Let us look at the sentences in the following way:

1. The problems of _______ (A) of a plastic ban are not _______ (B) to India. Across the world, bans on plastic and taxation of plastic bags have _____(C) mixed results, with many of them ______ (D) even in the developed world.
2. At the press _______ (E) after he met with Kim, Trump _______ (F) that he had _______ (G) to stop the war games, that is, the US’ joint military exercises with South Korea that repeatedly ______ (H) North Korea with war.

• Achieved: to bring to a successful end; carry through; accomplish. The sentence ‘a’ mentions the problems of implementation of plastic bags wherein many nations have failed to prevent the use of plastic bags. Thus, ‘achieved’ mixed results goes perfectly well with the context. Also, the use of ‘threatened’ here gives an absurd meaning. Hence, (C) must be swapped.
• Threatened: to tell someone that you will kill or hurt them or cause problems if they do not do what you want. Since, we are talking about the press conference in which Trump disclosed that war games need to be stopped as South Korea has repeatedly harmed North Korea, ‘threatened’ goes well with the context. Also, ‘South Korea that repeatedly achieved North Korea with war’, makes no sense. Hence, (H) must be swapped.

Q. Directions: In the following questions, a sentence is given with five words marked as (A), (B), (C), (D) & (E). These words may or may not be placed in their places. Four options with different arrangements of these words are given. Mark the option with the correct arrangement as the answer. If there is no change required, mark ‘No rearrangement required’ as your answer.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan deteriorated (A) on Turks to radical (B) French goods as called (C) between the NATO allies boycott (D) over Paris’s hardened stance against relations (E) Islam.

Answer: Let us consider A, B, C, D, and E to be five blanks, with A being the first, B the second, and so on.

• • The first blank requires a verb in the past tense and while ‘deteriorated’ is a verb in the past tense ‘deterioration’ cannot happen ‘on’ someone. Thus, the correct answer is ‘called’. 
  • The second blank requires a verb in the present tense that can act on the noun ‘Turks’. Thus, the correct answer is ‘boycott’.
  • The third blank requires a noun as a verb—like ‘called’—has no tangible form and thus cannot be between two nations. Thus, the correct answer is ‘relations’
  • The fourth blank requires a verb in the past tense and although ‘boycott’ is a verb, one cannot ‘boycott over’ anything. Thus, the correct answer is ‘deteriorated’.
  • The fifth blank requires an adjective that can be used to describe the noun ‘Islam’. Thus, the correct answer is ‘radical’.

So the correct order is: CDEAB

Points to Remember:

1. Read the directions carefully.
2. Start reading the given sentences.
3. Find out any grammatical relationship.

Hope this article helped you with the Word Swapping Test. Practice them on Itselfu RBI Grade'B'App through free mock tests.