Directions (Qs. 1 - 10): In the following questions, some part of the sentence is underlined. Which of the options given below the sentence should replace the part underlined to make the sentence grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is given then choose option E 'No Correction required' as the answer.
1. Being a convict of fodder scam, resignation from the post was expected from him.
A) Being convict of fodder scam, he had been expected to resign from the post.
B) He being a convict of fodder scam, resignation from the post was expected from him.
C) Being a convict of fodder scam, he expected to resign from the post.
D) No correction required
Explanation: Corrects the error of dangling modifier. Because, a participle is a verbaladjective, and it must be attached to a proper subject. In the sentence, being a convict of fodder scam, is modifying 'the resignation from the post'.
Ans: D
2. A good boss does not waste his valuable time finding faults with his subordinates.
A) finding fault with his subordinates.
B) to find faults with his subordinates.
C) to find faults in his subordinates.
D) finding faults of his subordinates.
Explanation: Corrects the error of idiomatic use. 'Find fault with' is an idiom meaning 'to look for mistakes or to complain about something'.
Ans: A
3. Attached to this application is an affidavit form and three sheets of blank paper.
A) are an affidavit form and three sheet
B) are an affidavit form and three sheets
C) is an affidavit form and three sheet
D) is a affidavit form and three sheet
Explanation: Corrects the subject verb agreement. The subject of the verb 'are' is an affidavit form and three sheets (plural) not 'the application'.
Ans: B
4. Her supporters rallied for her defence when the government brought the bill seeking to bar any person of foreign origin from holding the high offices.
A) Her supporters rallied of her defence
B) Her supporters rallied in her defence
C) Her supporters rallied up in her defence
D) Her supporters rallied to her defence
Explanation: When people rally to something or when something rallies them, they unite to support it.
E.g.: His supporters have rallied to his defence.
E.g.: He rallied his own supporters for a fight. The preposition 'in/ at' is followed by the verb 'rally' only in a context of a place.
E.g.: Ian Smith, a 24-year-old who works with adolescents in drug and mental health rehab, showed up at the same Trump rally in suburban Southern California
E.g.: Fistfights broke out among protesters who were rallying at the JNU, prompting the management to cancel the event.
Ans: D
5. But if you persist in asking me not to complain, I will complain against you.
A) If you keep persisting at asking me not to complain
B) But if you persist in asking me to not complain
C) But if you persist on to ask me not to complain
D) No correction required
Explanation: The given sentence is correct.
Ans: D
6. The smooth passage of the Insurance Bill through the Lok Sabha is the best news which India has have in recent years.
A) is the best news that India has in recent years.
B) is the best news which India has had in recent years.
C) is the best news that India has had in recent years.
D) is the best news India has in recent years.
Explanation: Corrects the error of past participle form of verb 'have' and conjunction 'that'. In perfect tense after has/ have/ had, the transitive or main verb is used in V3 (past participle form). In the sentence, V3 form of 'have' is 'had' meaning 'experienced'. After adjective in superlative degree, 'that' is used to join the clauses.
Ans: C
7. The Delhi Police and the CBI, the court have observed, not only tampered with evidence but also manipulated the circumstantial evidence too.
A) has observed, no tampered only evidence
B) has observed, not only tampered with evidence
C) has observed, not only tampered of evidence
D) have observed, not tampered with only evidence
Explanation: Corrects the error of agreement. Because the observation has been made by the court, 'tampered with' is a phrasal verb meaning 'to interfere or meddle with'.
Ans: B
8. Last but not the least, I would like to thank all the workers without whose co-operation, the rally wouldn't be a success.
A) Last but not least, I would like to thank all the workers without their co-operation
B) Last but not the least, I would like to thank all the worker without their cooperation
C) Last but not least, I would like to thank all the workers without whose cooperation
D) Last but not the least, I would like to thank all those workers without their cooperation
Explanation: Corrects the idiomatic error. 'Last but not least' is an idiom which means 'last but not less important than others'.
Ans: C
9. Such a consensus denotes a remarkable change of attitude for this very measure had run into trouble in the earlier stages.
A) a remarkable change of attitude as this measure was run of trouble
B) a remarkable change of attitude as this very measure had run into trouble
C) a remarkable change of attitude because this very measure had run into trouble
D) a remarkable change in attitude because this measure was run into very trouble
Explanation: Corrects the error of conjunction 'such'. Because it is always followed by 'as' or 'that'.
Ans: B
10. All the legislators, district and city unit presidents who attended the meeting asked the party president to make best use of the political situation in the state.
A) All the legislators, districts and cities unit presidents, those attended the meeting asked
B) All the legislator, district and city unit president who attended the meeting asked
C) All the legislators, district and city unit presidents who attended the meeting had asked
D) No correction required
Explanation: The given sentence is correct.
Ans: E
Important Points
1. Subject-Verb Agreement: It is necessary to consider the verb according to the subject. Verbs should always be dependent on the subject or the vice-versa. Like, if the subject is plural then verb should also be plural, and if it is singular, then the given verb will also be singular.
E.g.:
i. The boys were abandoning the residence where they had been living since 2010 (Plural).
ii. The boy was abandoning the residence where he had been living since 2010 (Singular).
Likewise, other points should always be kept in mind such as collective nouns, confusing pair of words, objective and normative cases etc.
2. Repetition: Sometimes, there is redundancy in the sentence. In other words, the same thing is written twice in a single statement. Most of the times, you can spot such errors easily.
E.g.: i. I returned back from Goa. (Incorrect)
ii. I came back from Goa. (Correct)
3. Misplaced Modifiers: One of the most common problems is where to place them. Specifically, modifiers can cause confusion or unintentional humor in a sentence when they are placed too far from the noun they are modifying.
E.g.: i. Only Maiden wants pizza
ii. Maiden wants pizza only
4. Parallelism: What exactly can be parallelism in sentence? Well, it relates to the structure of the sentence. Putting it other ways, the different phrases/ words performing the same function should be used in the same format.
E.g.: i. Preeti likes to dance, sing and cook.
ii. Preeti likes dancing, singing and cooking. (i, ii are correct)
iii. Preeti likes to dance, sing and cooking. (Incorrect)
5. Error in diction: A diction error refers to the error in choice of words/ phrases. At other times, even some idioms occur in sentences in an incorrect way. Common pair of words and phrases where you may face diction error are:
* affect v/s effect (E.g. the effect of the decision, ..affect the outcome)
* adapt v/s adopt
* argue against v/s argue with
* later v/s latter
* lay v/s lie
* few v/s less (E.g. less water left.., ..few students in class)
6. Wrong Comparisons: Sometimes we end up comparing things which are not logical or equivalent. Like, we have to compare furniture with furniture and persons with persons. You can't compare a table to a person.
Ravi is wiser than all men. (Incorrect way) Ravi is wiser than all other men. (Correct way- Ravi needs to be excluded from the rest of the same category.
In the above example, comparative degree is used. But in case of superlative degree, the person/ thing compared is included in the rest of the class.
E.g. Ravi is the strongest of all men.
7. Relative noun and pronoun agreement: Pronoun should always have clear antecedent. If it fails to do so, then it should be replaced by a proper noun. Likewise, in the noun agreement, single person or thing can't take a plural noun or vice-versa.
E.g.: It is incorrect to say 'John and Sarah want to become a doctor'.
The correct sentence is 'John and Sarah want to become doctors'.
