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". That game (were interrupted) by the rains; it resumed an hour after, when the rains stopped.
was interrupted
Understanding Sentence Improvement and Grammar
The question asks us to improve the bracketed part "(were interrupted)" in the sentence: "That game (were interrupted) by the rains; it resumed an hour after, when the rains stopped."
To improve the sentence, we need to examine the grammar, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct tense and voice.
Analyzing the Original Sentence Structure
The subject of the first part of the sentence is "That game". "Game" is a singular noun. In standard English grammar, a singular subject requires a singular verb.
The sentence describes an event that happened in the past ("resumed", "stopped" are in the past tense). Therefore, the verb describing the interruption should also be in a past tense form.
The phrase "by the rains" indicates that the rains were the agent causing the interruption. This structure suggests that the verb should be in the passive voice. The passive voice is formed using a form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb (e.g., "is interrupted", "was interrupted", "were interrupted").
Combining these points, we need a past tense, singular form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of "interrupt". The past participle of "interrupt" is "interrupted". The singular past tense form of "to be" for a singular subject like "That game" is "was".
So, the correct form in the past passive voice for a singular subject is "was interrupted".
The original phrase "(were interrupted)" uses "were", which is the plural past tense form of "to be". This does not agree with the singular subject "That game". Therefore, the bracketed part needs improvement.
Evaluating the Options for Sentence Improvement
Let's look at the given options:
- are interrupted
- was interrupt
- was interrupted
- no improvement
We will analyze each option:
- Option 1: are interrupted
This uses "are", which is a present tense, plural form of "to be". This does not fit the past tense context of the sentence ("resumed", "stopped") and does not agree with the singular subject "That game". - Option 2: was interrupt
This uses "was", which is a past tense, singular form of "to be", correctly agreeing with the singular subject "That game". However, it uses the base form of the verb "interrupt" instead of the past participle "interrupted". The passive voice requires the past participle. - Option 3: was interrupted
This uses "was", the correct past tense, singular form of "to be" for the singular subject "That game". It also uses "interrupted", which is the correct past participle of "interrupt". This forms the correct past passive voice ("was interrupted") which fits the context and grammar requirements of the sentence. - Option 4: no improvement
As discussed, the original phrase "(were interrupted)" is grammatically incorrect because "were" is plural and does not agree with the singular subject "That game". Therefore, improvement is needed.
Based on the analysis, the only option that correctly provides the past passive form of the verb agreeing with the singular subject "That game" is "was interrupted".
| Original / Option | Subject-Verb Agreement (with "That game") | Tense (Past) | Passive Voice (Verb Form) | Correct? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (were interrupted) | Incorrect (plural "were") | Correct (past) | Correct (participle "interrupted") | No |
| are interrupted | Incorrect (plural "are") | Incorrect (present) | Correct (participle "interrupted") | No |
| was interrupt | Correct (singular "was") | Correct (past) | Incorrect (base "interrupt") | No |
| was interrupted | Correct (singular "was") | Correct (past) | Correct (participle "interrupted") | Yes |
| no improvement | N/A (Original is wrong) | N/A | N/A | No |
Conclusion
The bracketed part "(were interrupted)" must be changed to "was interrupted" to correct the subject-verb agreement and maintain the correct tense and voice in the sentence.
Revision Table: Key Grammar Points
| Grammar Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-Verb Agreement | Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs. | The game was exciting. (Singular subject, singular verb) The games were exciting. (Plural subject, plural verb) |
| Past Tense | Used to describe actions completed in the past. | It rained yesterday. The game resumed later. |
| Passive Voice | Used when the action's receiver is the focus. Formed with 'be' + past participle. | Active: The rains interrupted the game. Passive: The game was interrupted by the rains. |
| Past Passive Voice (Singular) | Formed with 'was' + past participle for a singular subject. | The window was broken. |
| Past Passive Voice (Plural) | Formed with 'were' + past participle for a plural subject. | The windows were broken. |
Additional Information: Active vs. Passive Voice
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is crucial for sentence construction and improvement. Let's look at the sentence structure for both.
- Active Voice: Subject + Verb + Object
The subject performs the action.
Example: The rains (Subject) interrupted (Verb) the game (Object). - Passive Voice: Object (becomes Subject) + Form of 'be' + Past Participle of Verb + (by + Original Subject)
The original object becomes the subject, and it receives the action.
Example: The game (New Subject) was interrupted (Form of 'be' + Past Participle) by the rains (Original Subject).
In the question sentence, "That game" is the focus and is receiving the action of being interrupted by the rains, hence the passive voice is appropriate. Since "That game" is singular, the singular past passive form "was interrupted" is required.
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
My old teacher gave many poor students money in spite of he was poor.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
You should to read the newspaper regularly if you want to be well-informed.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
If he had listening to me he would not have got lost.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
He asked for a bank loan also he didn't have sufficient resources.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
I went to the shop to buy some stationeries .
