Direction: In the following question, a part of the sentence may have an error. Find out which part among the sentences has an error and click the option corresponding to it. If the sentence is free from error, click option 4 i.e. 'No error'. (a) My friend was / (b) habitual to drive a car / (c) at very high speeds. / (d) No error
(b)
Understanding Sentence Errors: 'Habitual to' Construction
Let's carefully examine each part of the given sentence to identify any grammatical errors. The sentence is divided into three parts: (a), (b), and (c), with a fourth option for 'No error'.
The sentence is: "My friend was habitual to drive a car at very high speeds."
Analyzing Each Part of the Sentence
- (a) My friend was: This part introduces the subject ("My friend") and the verb ("was"). Grammatically, this part appears correct. The subject and verb agree in number and tense.
- (b) habitual to drive a car: This part uses the adjective "habitual" followed by "to drive". Let's look closely at the phrase "habitual to".
- (c) at very high speeds: This part describes the manner or condition of driving. The preposition "at" is used correctly with "speeds". This part appears grammatically correct.
Focusing on the Potential Error in Part (b)
The phrase in question is "habitual to drive". The adjective "habitual" is typically followed by the preposition "to". However, when "habitual to" refers to being accustomed to an action, it should be followed by a noun or a gerund (the -ing form of a verb used as a noun).
The structure is commonly:
- Habitual to + Noun (e.g., habitual to hard work)
- Habitual to + Gerund (e.g., habitual to getting up early)
In the given sentence, "to drive" is an infinitive (to + base form of the verb). The sentence describes an action (driving a car) that the friend is habitually doing. Therefore, the correct structure should use the gerund form of the verb "drive", which is "driving".
So, the phrase should be "habitual to driving a car".
Identifying the Incorrect Part
Based on the grammatical rule for "habitual to", part (b) contains the error because it uses the infinitive "to drive" instead of the gerund "driving".
Corrected Sentence
The corrected sentence would be: "My friend was habitual to driving a car at very high speeds."
Therefore, the error is in part (b).
| Part | Text | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | My friend was | Subject and verb correct. | No |
| (b) | habitual to drive a car | Incorrect usage of infinitive after "habitual to". Should be gerund. | Yes |
| (c) | at very high speeds. | Prepositional phrase correct. | No |
| (d) | No error | There is an error. | No |
Revision Table: Common Grammatical Errors
| Error Type | Explanation | Example (Incorrect) | Correction (Correct) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infinitive vs. Gerund after Prepositions/Adjectives | Certain prepositions and adjectives like 'habitual to', 'used to', 'accustomed to' are followed by a gerund or noun, not an infinitive. | He is used to get up early. | He is used to getting up early. |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | The verb must agree in number with its subject. | The team are playing well. | The team is playing well. |
| Incorrect Preposition Use | Using the wrong preposition in a phrase. | I agree with your proposal. (Agree with - person) | I agree to your proposal. (Agree to - idea/proposal) |
Additional Information: Understanding Gerunds and Infinitives
Gerunds and infinitives are both verb forms that can function as nouns or other parts of speech, but they are used differently based on preceding words (like adjectives, verbs, or prepositions).
- Gerunds: These are verbs ending in "-ing" that function as nouns. They can be subjects, objects, or appear after prepositions.
- Example: Swimming is good exercise. (Subject)
- Example: I enjoy reading. (Object)
- Example: She is good at solving problems. (After preposition 'at')
- Infinitives: These are the base form of a verb, usually preceded by "to" (the 'to-infinitive'). They can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
- Example: To err is human. (Noun, subject)
- Example: I want to learn English. (Noun, object)
- Example: He came to help. (Adverb, explaining why he came)
The usage after specific words like "habitual to" follows set patterns in English grammar, which require memorization or practice to master.
Important Questions from Error Spotting
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).
A honest mistake (a) / is no more than that; (b) / just an honest mistake. (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).
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 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).
Every person who believes in principles (a) / must stand up to fight (b) / for their convictions . (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).
The principal of the school (a) / stressed the need for discipline (b) / amongst the students. (c) / No error (d)
