Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. You are (a)/ just sixteen years old (b)/ isn't it? (c)/ No error. (d)
C
Analysing the Sentence for Grammar Errors
The sentence provided is "You are just sixteen years old, isn't it?". We need to examine each part of the sentence to identify any grammatical errors. The sentence is broken down into three parts:
- (a) You are
- (b) just sixteen years old
- (c) isn't it?
- (d) No error.
Understanding Question Tags in English Grammar
The error, if any, is likely located in the question tag section (c). A question tag is a short phrase added to the end of a statement to turn it into a question. The question tag usually consists of an auxiliary verb (or a form of 'be') and a pronoun, and it typically mirrors the subject and verb used in the main part of the sentence.
There is a general rule for forming question tags:
- If the main statement is positive, the question tag is negative.
- If the main statement is negative, the question tag is positive.
- The auxiliary verb in the tag matches the verb in the statement.
- The pronoun in the tag matches the subject of the statement.
Identifying the Error in Part (c)
Let's look at the main part of the sentence: "You are just sixteen years old".
- The subject is "You".
- The verb is "are" (a form of 'be').
- The statement "You are just sixteen years old" is positive.
Following the rules for question tags, a positive statement with the subject "You" and verb "are" requires a negative question tag using the verb 'are' and the pronoun 'you'. The correct negative form of 'are' is 'aren't'. Therefore, the correct question tag should be "aren't you?".
The sentence uses the question tag "isn't it?". This tag uses the verb 'is' and the pronoun 'it'. This does not match the subject "You" and verb "are" of the main sentence.
Conclusion on the Sentence Error
The part of the sentence that contains the error is the question tag "isn't it?". It should be "aren't you?". Thus, part (c) is where the error is found.
Revision Table: Common Question Tags
| Statement Subject/Verb | Example Statement | Correct Question Tag | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| You are | You are happy, ... | aren't you? | Positive statement, use negative tag 'aren't', subject 'You' matches pronoun 'you'. |
| He is | He is tall, ... | isn't he? | Positive statement, use negative tag 'isn't', subject 'He' matches pronoun 'he'. |
| They were | They were late, ... | weren't they? | Positive statement, use negative tag 'weren't', subject 'They' matches pronoun 'they'. |
| She can | She can swim, ... | can't she? | Positive statement, use negative tag 'can't', subject 'She' matches pronoun 'she'. |
| It isn't | It isn't cold, ... | is it? | Negative statement, use positive tag 'is', subject 'It' matches pronoun 'it'. |
Additional Information: Rules for Question Tags
Here are some more points about question tags:
- The verb in the question tag must match the tense and form of the verb in the main statement.
- After modal verbs (like can, could, will, would, should, must), the tag uses the same modal verb. Example: You must leave, mustn't you?
- For sentences with 'have' as the main verb (e.g., expressing possession), we can use 'have/hasn't' or 'don't/doesn't have'. Example: You have a car, haven't you? (or don't you?). Note that using 'do/don't' or 'does/doesn't' is more common in modern English.
- With 'I am', the tag is 'aren't I?'. Example: I am late, aren't I?
- With 'let's', the tag is 'shall we?'. Example: Let's go, shall we?
- For imperative sentences, the tag is often 'will you?' or 'won't you?'. Example: Close the door, will you?
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