Directions: The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options. At the last meeting / which took place in November, / half the members submitted / their resignations on protest.
their resignations on protest
Let's break down the sentence provided and identify the part that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is:
"At the last meeting / which took place in November, / half the members submitted / their resignations on protest."
Analyzing the Sentence Parts for Grammar Errors
We will examine each part of the sentence to check for any grammatical issues, focusing on structure, vocabulary, and prepositions.
- Part 1: At the last meeting - The preposition 'at' is correctly used here to indicate the location or event where something happened. This part is grammatically correct.
- Part 2: which took place in November, - This is a relative clause modifying 'meeting'. 'which' is correctly used to refer to the meeting, and 'took place' is the appropriate verb phrase for an event happening. The preposition 'in' is correctly used with the month 'November'. This part is grammatically correct.
- Part 3: half the members submitted - 'half the members' acts as the subject, and 'submitted' is the verb in the simple past tense. The structure and verb usage are correct in this context. This part is grammatically correct.
- Part 4: their resignations on protest. - 'their resignations' is correct. The issue lies with the phrase "on protest". In standard English, the correct idiomatic expression to indicate that an action is taken as a form of protest is "in protest".
Identifying the Preposition Error: On vs. In Protest
The phrase "on protest" is not the standard idiomatic usage. The correct preposition used with the noun "protest" when describing the reason or manner of an action is "in".
- In protest: This means acting to show disagreement or opposition.
- Example: They walked out of the meeting in protest against the decision.
- Example: Workers went on strike in protest over low wages.
- On protest: This phrasing is not standard in this context and is considered grammatically incorrect when meaning 'as a form of protest'. The preposition 'on' can be used in other contexts (e.g., 'a protest on the streets', 'comments on the protest'), but not to signify the reason for an action being a protest.
Therefore, the phrase "on protest" in the fourth part of the sentence should be "in protest".
Conclusion on the Sentence Error
Based on the analysis, the error is found in the fourth part of the sentence, "their resignations on protest," specifically due to the incorrect use of the preposition "on" instead of "in" with "protest".
| Part of Sentence | Analysis | Correctness | Error Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| At the last meeting | Correct preposition 'at' for event/location. | Correct | None |
| which took place in November, | Correct relative clause structure and preposition 'in' for month. | Correct | None |
| half the members submitted | Correct subject-verb structure. | Correct | None |
| their resignations on protest. | Incorrect preposition 'on' instead of 'in' in the idiom 'in protest'. | Incorrect | Preposition Error (Idiom) |
Revision Table: Correcting the Idiom
| Incorrect Phrase | Correct Phrase | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| on protest | in protest | 'In protest' is the standard English idiom meaning 'as an expression of protest'. |
Additional Information on Prepositions and Idioms
Prepositions are tricky in English because their usage is often dictated by convention and idiomatic expressions rather than strict rules. Learning common idioms involving prepositions is crucial for accurate grammar.
- Some verbs and nouns are typically followed by specific prepositions (e.g., 'depend on', 'listen to', 'belief in', 'difficulty with').
- Idioms like 'in protest' function as fixed phrases where the meaning is tied to the specific combination of words, including the preposition. Changing the preposition can make the phrase sound unnatural or incorrect.
- Other examples of fixed prepositional phrases: 'on time', 'in time', 'at home', 'by mistake', 'for a change'.
Paying attention to these fixed phrases and common prepositional patterns will help avoid errors like the one found in the sentence.
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Important Questions from Error Spotting
The following question 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 and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
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No one knows (a) why he did it, (b) or who was behind his doing it.(c) No error. (d)
