Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) Whenever the sky is (b) clear, you can see (c) the stars in the night. (d) No Error
C
Analyzing the Sentence for Grammar Errors
We need to carefully examine each underlined part of the sentence to identify any grammatical errors. The sentence is: "Whenever the sky is clear, you can see the stars in the night."
Examining Part (a): "Whenever the sky is"
This part of the sentence acts as a dependent clause setting a condition. The structure "Whenever + subject + verb" is grammatically correct for introducing a conditional or temporal clause. "The sky is clear" is also a standard and correct phrase. There appears to be no grammatical error in part (a).
Examining Part (b): "clear, you can see"
This part smoothly transitions from the dependent clause to the main clause. The comma after "clear" is correctly used to separate the introductory dependent clause from the main clause. "You can see" is also grammatically correct, using the modal verb "can" to indicate ability or possibility. There appears to be no grammatical error in part (b).
Examining Part (c): "the stars in the night."
This part specifies what is seen and when. The phrase "the stars" is correct as it refers to stars generally visible in the sky. However, the phrase "in the night" is often not the standard idiom used to refer to the general period between evening and morning when stars are visible. The common and idiomatic expression is "at night".
While "in the night" can sometimes be used to refer to a specific event that happened during a particular night or at some point within the night, the context here ("Whenever the sky is clear, you can see...") implies a general condition and a general time frame when stars are visible. Therefore, "at night" is the appropriate phrase.
Consider the difference:
- At night: Refers to the general period of darkness between one day and the next (e.g., "It gets cold at night," "We often watch movies at night").
- In the night: Can refer to a specific moment or period within a single night (e.g., "He woke up suddenly in the night," "The phone rang sometime in the night"). It can also refer to a specific night when "the" is used, implying a known or particular night.
In the given sentence, the meaning is about the general occurrence of seeing stars during any clear period of darkness. Thus, "at night" is the correct idiomatic phrase. The use of "in the night" is unidiomatic in this general context and constitutes a grammatical error.
| Phrase | Typical Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At night | General time (period of darkness) | It's quiet at night. |
| In the night | Specific moment/event within a night, or a specific night | A strange noise was heard in the night. |
Conclusion on the Error
Based on the analysis, the error lies in part (c) due to the unidiomatic use of "in the night" instead of the standard phrase "at night" for the general time reference.
Identifying the Correct Option
Since the error is found in part (c), the correct option indicating the error is C.
Revision Table: Key Grammar Points
| Phrase | Meaning | Correct Example |
|---|---|---|
| at night | During the period of darkness (general) | I study at night. |
| in the morning | During the morning period (general) | I wake up early in the morning. |
| in the afternoon | During the afternoon period (general) | Let's meet in the afternoon. |
| in the evening | During the evening period (general) | We had dinner in the evening. |
| at dawn | At sunrise | Birds sing at dawn. |
| at dusk | At sunset | The bats come out at dusk. |
Additional Information: Prepositions of Time
Understanding prepositions of time like "at", "in", and "on" is crucial for identifying errors in sentences related to time references. While "in" is used for longer periods like months, seasons, and years, and "on" for specific days and dates, "at" is typically used for specific points in time (like "at 3 o'clock", "at midnight", "at noon") and for the general phrase "at night".
Here are some common uses of "at" for time:
- Specific clock times: at 9 AM, at 5:30 PM
- Meal times: at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner
- Specific points in time/holiday periods: at midnight, at noon, at sunrise, at sunset, at dawn, at dusk, at the weekend (British English), at Christmas, at Easter, at Thanksgiving
- The idiomatic phrase: at night
Mastering these idiomatic uses of prepositions can greatly help in sentence error identification questions.
Similar Questions
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) She wouldn't have (b) has an accident, (c) if she had driven carefully. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) Columbus made his (b) first voyage from Europe to America (c) on 1492. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) I will watch film (b) if I finish the work (c) in time. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) In 1989, the government (b) did an about-face and Iran restored (c) it's family planning program. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) If you want (b) to know the news (c) you can read a newspaper. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) Over long periods of time, (b) layers of sediments builds up (c) to a height of a few kilometers. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) I'm not working tomorrow, (b) so I don't had to (c) get up early. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) She didn't (b) tell anybody (c) about her plans. (d) No Error
Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. 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) When a gas is (b) cooled down it turns into a liquid (c) from a process called condensation. (d) No Error
Directions: item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read sentence to find out 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).
Ten thousand dollars is (a) / the prize money being offered (b) / by the game show hosts. (c) / No error (d)
Important Questions from Error Spotting
The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
Fortunately, / the fire did not / caused much damage / to the building.
The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them may contain an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options. If you don’t find any error, mark ‘No error’ as your answer.
Neither of them have / any experience / in software development.
The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
Each of the students were / present for / the valedictory session / that night.
From the given options, identify the segment in the sentence which contains the grammatical error.
If you prepare well, you wouldn't have failed the exam.
Directions: Identify the segment in the sentence which contains grammatical error from the given options.
Thunderstorms develop in hot, humid tropical areas like India much to frequently.
