Direction:Read it to find out whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response on 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). Buddhism teaches that(a) /freedom from desires(b) / will lead to an escaping from suffering.(c) / No error(d)
(c)
English Grammar Error Spotting Analysis
The question asks us to identify if there is a grammatical error in any of the underlined parts of the sentence: "Buddhism teaches that (a) / freedom from desires (b) / will lead to an escaping from suffering. (c) / No error (d)". We need to examine each part carefully.
Examining Sentence Parts
- Part (a): "Buddhism teaches that" - This part is grammatically correct. "Buddhism" is the subject, "teaches" is the verb, and "that" introduces a noun clause.
- Part (b): "freedom from desires" - This phrase acts as the subject of the clause introduced by "that". "Freedom" is a noun, and "from desires" is a prepositional phrase modifying "freedom". This part is grammatically correct.
- Part (c): "will lead to an escaping from suffering." - This is where we should look closely. The phrase "an escaping" is problematic. "Escaping" is typically used as a gerund (a verb acting as a noun) or as part of a continuous verb tense. When referring to the act or state of being free from something, the noun form "escape" or the gerund "escaping" (without the article 'an') is usually used.
Analyzing the Error in Part (c)
The phrase "an escaping" is grammatically awkward and unidiomatic in this context. Let's consider correct alternatives:
- Using the noun form: "will lead to an escape from suffering." This is a common and correct phrasing.
- Using the gerund form directly: "will lead to escaping from suffering." This is also a grammatically valid construction.
The inclusion of the indefinite article "an" before the gerund "escaping" makes the phrase incorrect in standard English grammar. Therefore, the error lies in part (c).
Conclusion on the Error
Based on the analysis, the grammatical error is in part (c) due to the incorrect use of "an escaping". The sentence should ideally be "will lead to escape from suffering" or "will lead to an escape from suffering" or "will lead to escaping from suffering".
Thus, the underlined part with the error is (c).
| Part | Phrase | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Buddhism teaches that | Correct structure | No |
| (b) | freedom from desires | Correct noun phrase subject | No |
| (c) | will lead to an escaping from suffering. | Incorrect use of article 'an' with gerund 'escaping' | Yes |
| (d) | No error | There is an error in (c) | N/A |
Revision Table: Gerunds and Nouns
It is important to understand when to use a gerund (verb-ing acting as a noun) and when to use the corresponding noun form.
| Word/Concept | Noun Form | Gerund Form | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escape | escape | escaping | Noun: They planned an escape. Gerund: Escaping the fire was difficult. |
| Swim | swim | swimming | Noun: We went for a swim. Gerund: Swimming is good exercise. |
| Build | building | building | Noun: The building is tall. Gerund: Building houses takes time. |
Additional Information: Articles with Gerunds
Generally, articles (a, an, the) are not used directly before a gerund when it functions as a general activity or concept. For example, you say "Reading is fun," not "A reading is fun." However, if the gerund is followed by an 'of' phrase, it can sometimes take an article, especially 'the', to refer to a specific instance of the action (e.g., "the reading of the will"). In our original sentence, "an escaping from suffering" is not standard usage. The most natural noun form is "escape", which can take an article ("an escape").
Understanding the nuances between gerunds, noun forms, and article usage is crucial for mastering English grammar error spotting questions.
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)
