Identify the error in the following sentence and select the option with the correct use of the phrasal verb.
The police inspector was trying to give out the contradicting stories in the scene of the accident.

The correct option is The police inspector was trying to sort out the contradicting stories in the scene of the accident.

Explanation:

In the original sentence, the phrasal verb "give out" is used incorrectly. "Give out" means to distribute something or to stop working/fail. In the context of dealing with conflicting or contradicting stories to make sense of them, the appropriate phrasal verb is "sort out".

Meaning of the phrasal verbs:

1. Sort out: To resolve, clarify, or organize something by dealing with problems or contradictory information (e.g., sorting out conflicting details or stories).

2. Give out: To distribute or emit something, or to become exhausted/stop functioning.

3. Lighten up: To become less serious or worried.

4. Rush out: To leave or produce something very quickly.

5. Sign up: To commit to or register for something.

Therefore, replacing "give out" with "sort out" correctly conveys that the inspector was trying to resolve or make sense of the conflicting reports.