In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “no improvement”. A better example is a person who (has been assigned) the duty of planting trees and watering them along an expressway.
no improvement
Understanding Sentence Improvement and Grammar Rules
Let's analyze the given sentence: "A better example is a person who (has been assigned) the duty of planting trees and watering them along an expressway." We need to determine if the bracketed part, "(has been assigned)", is grammatically correct in this context or if one of the alternatives improves it.
Analyzing the Subject and Verb Agreement
The key to checking the verb form here is identifying the subject it refers to. The phrase "who (has been assigned)" refers back to the noun "a person".
- The subject is "a person".
- "A person" is a singular noun.
- In English grammar, a singular subject requires a singular verb form in the present tense.
Analyzing the Verb Tense and Voice
The bracketed part "(has been assigned)" uses the present perfect tense ("has been") and the passive voice ("been assigned").
- Present Perfect Tense: Formed with "has" or "have" + past participle. It is used for actions that started in the past but are connected to the present.
- Passive Voice: Used when the subject receives the action. It is formed with a form of "be" + the past participle of the main verb. In the present perfect passive, the structure is "has/have been" + past participle.
In the sentence, "a person" is not performing the action of assigning; the action of assigning is being done to the person. Therefore, the passive voice is appropriate.
Evaluating the Bracketed Phrase "(has been assigned)"
Let's check if "(has been assigned)" correctly follows the rules for a singular subject ("a person") in the present perfect passive voice:
- The subject is "a person" (singular).
- The auxiliary verb for a singular subject in the present perfect is "has".
- The auxiliary for the passive voice is "been".
- The past participle of the verb "assign" is "assigned".
Combining these, the correct form for a singular subject in the present perfect passive is "has been assigned". This matches the bracketed phrase.
Examining the Improvement Options
Let's look at the given options:
- have been assigned: The auxiliary verb "have" is plural. This would be correct if the subject were plural (e.g., "persons who have been assigned"), but the subject here is singular ("a person"). Incorrect.
- have been assign: The auxiliary verb "have" is plural (incorrect for a singular subject). Also, "assign" is the base form, not the past participle needed for the passive voice and the present perfect tense. Incorrect.
- has been assign: The auxiliary verb "has" is singular and correct for the subject. However, "assign" is the base form, not the past participle needed for the passive voice and the present perfect tense. The past participle is "assigned". Incorrect.
- no improvement: The original phrase "has been assigned" correctly uses the singular auxiliary "has" with the passive and present perfect structure ("been assigned") to agree with the singular subject "a person".
Based on the analysis, the original phrase "(has been assigned)" is grammatically correct for the singular subject "a person" in the present perfect passive voice. Therefore, no improvement is needed.
Revision Table: Subject-Verb Agreement and Passive Voice
| Subject Type | Tense & Voice | Correct Verb Form (Example: assign) | Example Sentence Fragment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular (e.g., a person) | Present Perfect Passive | has been assigned | ...a person who has been assigned... |
| Plural (e.g., persons) | Present Perfect Passive | have been assigned | ...persons who have been assigned... |
| Singular (e.g., a person) | Present Perfect Active | has assigned | ...a person who has assigned... |
Additional Information on Passive Voice
The passive voice is used when the action is more important than the doer, or when the doer is unknown or obvious. The structure is typically Subject + form of 'be' + Past Participle.
- Simple Present Passive: is/am/are + past participle (e.g., The trees are watered daily.)
- Simple Past Passive: was/were + past participle (e.g., The duty was assigned yesterday.)
- Present Continuous Passive: is/am/are being + past participle (e.g., The trees are being planted now.)
- Past Continuous Passive: was/were being + past participle (e.g., The duty was being assigned when I arrived.)
- Past Perfect Passive: had been + past participle (e.g., The duty had been assigned before the project started.)
- Future Simple Passive: will be + past participle (e.g., The duty will be assigned tomorrow.)
Understanding the correct auxiliary verbs (like 'has' vs 'have') and the requirement for the past participle in passive constructions is crucial for sentence improvement tasks.
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)
