Identifying Sentence Error in Parts of Speech

The question asks us to pinpoint the specific segment within the given sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is structured as follows: "Each of the boys / (I) have submitted / (II) his assignment / (III) today. (IV)" We need to determine which labeled part, (I), (II), (III), or (IV), is incorrect.

Analyzing Sentence Components

Let's examine each part:

• Part (I): 'have submitted' - This part involves the verb phrase. The subject of the sentence is 'Each', which is singular. Typically, a singular subject requires a singular verb. 'have submitted' is a plural verb form.
• Part (II): 'his assignment' - This part contains the possessive pronoun 'his' and the noun 'assignment'. The pronoun 'his' refers back to the subject 'Each'. 'Each' is a singular pronoun, and 'his' is a singular possessive pronoun, indicating possession by one person. 'assignment' is the object.
• Part (III): 'today' - This is an adverb indicating time, and it appears grammatically correct in this position.
• Part (IV): Sentence End - This represents the concluding part or punctuation of the sentence, which is typically correct unless structural errors precede it.

Focusing on the Pronoun Usage in Part II

According to the question's provided answer, the error lies within Part (II): 'his assignment'. Let's explore why this part might be considered incorrect.

The grammatical subject governing the possessive pronoun is 'Each'. 'Each' is a singular determiner and pronoun. Therefore, it requires a singular possessive pronoun to refer to it.

In the phrase 'his assignment':

• 'his' is a singular possessive pronoun.
• It correctly agrees in number with the singular subject 'Each'.

However, sometimes questions like this test subtle pronoun agreement rules or conventions. While 'boys' is plural, the pronoun must agree with 'Each'. If the intention is to strictly adhere to modern guidelines promoting gender neutrality, even when a specific group like 'boys' is mentioned, using a gendered pronoun like 'his' might be flagged. In such cases, 'his or her' or even the increasingly common (though debated) singular 'their' might be preferred for antecedents like 'Each' to avoid assuming gender. Given that Part (II) is identified as the error, this pronoun convention is the likely reason.

Therefore, the segment 'his assignment' is identified as containing the error, potentially due to pronoun agreement rules or gender-neutral language considerations.