Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
c
Analyzing the Sentence for Grammar Errors
The question asks us to identify if there is a grammatical error in any of the underlined parts of the sentence: "Every person who believes in principles (a) / must stand up to fight (b) / for their convictions . (c) / No error (d)". We need to examine each part carefully.
Examining Part (a): "Every person who believes in principles"
- The phrase starts with "Every person," which is treated as a singular subject.
- The relative pronoun "who" refers back to "Every person".
- The verb "believes" agrees in number with the singular antecedent "who" (and "Every person").
- "in principles" is a standard prepositional phrase.
- There is no grammatical error in part (a).
Examining Part (b): "must stand up to fight"
- "must stand up" is a correct construction using the modal verb "must" followed by the base form of the verb "stand up".
- "to fight" is an infinitive phrase used correctly here to indicate the purpose of standing up.
- There is no grammatical error in part (b).
Examining Part (c): "for their convictions"
- This part contains the possessive pronoun "their".
- The pronoun "their" refers back to the subject of the sentence, which is "Every person".
- "Every person" is a singular noun phrase.
- The pronoun "their" is a plural possessive pronoun.
- According to traditional grammar rules regarding pronoun-antecedent agreement, a singular antecedent (like "Every person") requires a singular pronoun.
- Using the plural pronoun "their" to refer to the singular antecedent "Every person" is a grammatical error in formal contexts.
- The pronoun should agree in number with its antecedent. A singular antecedent requires a singular pronoun (like "his", "her", or "his or her").
- Therefore, the use of "their" in this context is incorrect. It should ideally be "his or her convictions".
Analyzing the Error
Based on the analysis, the error lies in part (c) due to the incorrect pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular subject "Every person" is referred to by the plural possessive pronoun "their".
Since there is an error in part (c), option (d) "No error" is incorrect.
Identifying the Correct Answer
The error is found in part (c) of the sentence.
| Part | Sentence Fragment | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Every person who believes in principles | Subject "Every person" (singular), verb "believes" agrees. | No |
| (b) | must stand up to fight | Correct use of modal verb and infinitive. | No |
| (c) | for their convictions | Pronoun "their" (plural) refers to "Every person" (singular). Pronoun-antecedent agreement error. | Yes |
| (d) | No error | Incorrect as there is an error in (c). | No |
The correct option indicating the part with the error is (c).
Revision Table: Key Grammar Concepts
| Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement | A pronoun must agree in number (and gender) with the noun or pronoun it refers to (its antecedent). If the antecedent is singular, the pronoun should be singular. If the antecedent is plural, the pronoun should be plural. | Incorrect: Every student brought their book. Correct: Every student brought his or her book. Correct: All students brought their books. |
| Singular Indefinite Pronouns/Adjectives | Words like "each," "every," "everyone," "everybody," "anyone," "anybody," "someone," "somebody," "no one," "nobody" are grammatically singular. | Each of the students Everybody is here. No one has finished. |
Additional Information on Pronoun Agreement
The issue of using "their" as a singular pronoun is a topic of ongoing discussion and evolution in English grammar. While traditionally considered incorrect in formal writing when referring to a singular antecedent of indeterminate gender (like "every person"), its use is becoming increasingly common and accepted in informal contexts and even some formal ones as a gender-neutral option.
However, in many standardized grammar tests that follow traditional rules, using a plural pronoun like "their" with a singular antecedent like "every person," "each student," or "someone" is marked as an error in pronoun-antecedent agreement. The expectation in such tests is often the use of "his or her," "his," or "her" depending on context or convention.
In this specific sentence and format (common in error identification questions), the mismatch between the singular "Every person" and the plural "their" is the intended error based on traditional grammar rules.
Similar Questions
Some parts of the sentence have an error and some parts are correct. Find out which part of the sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, choose 'No error' as the answer.
The thorax is the upper part (a) / of your body from the neck down (b) / to the bottom of the ribs and diaphragm. (c) No error (d)Some parts of the sentence have an error and some parts are correct. Find out which part of the sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, choose 'No error' as the answer.
The pollution level is very (a) / high in our city, and (b) / becomes a health hazard. (c) / No error (d).Some parts of the sentence have an error and some parts are correct. Find out which part of the sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, choose 'No error' as the answer.
She collected some armful of medicines and (a) (b) poured them down a drain. No error (c) (d) Some parts of the sentence have an error and some parts are correct. Find out which part of the sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, choose 'No error' as the answer.
In many countries, the United Nations (a) / or other internationally organised (b) / peacekeeping forces are trying to keep the peace. (c) / No error (d)Direction :Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in any part and if you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
(a) Slow and steady
(b) owns the race
(c) as the wise would say
(d) No error
Directions: Each of the following items in this section has a sentence with three parts labelled as (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in the given parts and indicate your response corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). if you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
a) I cannot
b) cope up
c) with the pressure
d) No error
Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
A company of five thousand soldiers , (a) / having marched tirelessly for over five days , (b) / have just moved into their cantonment . (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
The Olympic Games reflects(a) / the highest spirit of (b) / human endeavour and achievement . (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
India's strengths are (a) / its diversity of culture and (b) / the spirit of tolerance in it's people.(c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
Once considered ninth planet of the solar system, (a) / Pluto is today listed as the (b) / largest dwarf planet of the solar system. (c) / No error (d)
Important Questions from Error Spotting
- Select the option that correctly punctuates the given sentence.
I visited Delhi Mumbai and Kolkata last summer. Select the correctly punctuated version of the phrase to fill in the blank and complete the given sentence.
'spent our holiday in France it was very crowded'
Rahim, Rajam and I ________.- Choose the one that correctly represents the sentence in direct speech.
Adit explained that he hadn't had the time to prepare his speech the day before. - Choose the correct idiom for the word highlighted in bold.
"The builder hired several carpenters and electricians to work on the building, but he left them in the lurch when it came time to pay them." Read the given statements and conclusions carefully. Decide which of the given conclusions is true based on the statements.
Statements:
$Z < S < E = J, J \geq T > G = V$
Conclusions:
I. $V < E$
II. $T > Z$
