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'. Cyclones (was identified) by the year of their occurrence, and remembered for the devastation they caused.
were identified
Understanding Sentence Improvement for Cyclones
The question asks us to improve the bracketed part of the sentence: "Cyclones (was identified) by the year of their occurrence, and remembered for the devastation they caused." We need to evaluate the grammatical correctness of the phrase "was identified" in the context of the sentence and choose the best alternative or indicate no improvement is needed.
Analysing the Original Sentence and Bracketed Phrase
Let's break down the components of the sentence:
- Subject: "Cyclones"
- Bracketed Verb Phrase: "(was identified)"
- Subsequent Verb: "remembered"
The subject "Cyclones" is plural. The verb "was identified" uses the singular helping verb "was". In standard English grammar, the verb must agree with its subject in number. Since the subject "Cyclones" is plural, the verb should also be plural.
Furthermore, the sentence describes actions that happened in the past ("remembered for the devastation they caused"). The identification also occurred in the past. The structure "was identified" or "were identified" indicates a passive voice construction, meaning the cyclones are the recipients of the action (being identified), rather than the performers of the action.
Evaluating the Improvement Options
Let's look at the provided alternatives for improving "(was identified)":
- is identified: This option uses the singular present tense helping verb "is". This is incorrect for two reasons:
- It uses a singular verb ("is") with a plural subject ("Cyclones").
- It uses the present tense ("is identified") while the rest of the sentence is in the past tense ("remembered").
- were identify: This option uses the plural past tense helping verb "were", which agrees with the subject "Cyclones" and fits the past tense context. However, it uses the base form of the verb "identify". In the passive voice, the structure is 'be' verb + past participle (e.g., is/are/was/were + identified). The past participle of "identify" is "identified". So, "were identify" is grammatically incorrect for the passive voice.
- were identified: This option uses the plural past tense helping verb "were", which agrees with the plural subject "Cyclones" and fits the past tense context. It also correctly uses the past participle "identified". This combination ("were identified") is the correct form for a plural subject in the past tense passive voice.
- no improvement: The original phrase "(was identified)" is grammatically incorrect because the singular helping verb "was" does not agree with the plural subject "Cyclones". Therefore, improvement is needed.
Conclusion on Sentence Improvement
Based on the analysis of subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and passive voice construction, the phrase "were identified" is the grammatically correct improvement for "(was identified)". It correctly matches the plural subject "Cyclones" with the plural past tense helping verb "were" and uses the correct past participle "identified" for the passive voice.
The improved sentence reads: "Cyclones were identified by the year of their occurrence, and remembered for the devastation they caused."
Revision Table: Grammar Concepts
| Grammar Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-Verb Agreement | The verb must agree in number (singular/plural) with its subject. | Singular: The cyclone was severe. Plural: The cyclones were severe. |
| Passive Voice (Past) | Formed using 'was' or 'were' + past participle. Used when the subject receives the action. | Active: The storm destroyed the town. Passive: The town was destroyed by the storm. (Singular subject) Passive: The towns were destroyed by the storms. (Plural subject) |
| Past Participle | The form of a verb, often ending in -ed or -en, used in perfect tenses and passive voice. | Base: Identify Past: Identified Past Participle: Identified |
Additional Information: Cyclones and Identification
Cyclones are powerful tropical storms. They are indeed often identified and named based on systems developed by meteorological organizations. Historically, they might have been identified simply by the year or date of their occurrence, especially before formal naming conventions became widespread. The mention of them being "remembered for the devastation they caused" highlights their significant impact and the reason why tracking and identification are important.
The sentence discusses a historical practice related to cyclones, making the past tense and passive voice appropriate. The cyclones were identified (by someone or something) in the past.
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 .
