In the following question, some part of the sentence may have errors. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If a sentence is free from error, select 'No Error'. The best known leader(A)/ among them were(B)/ Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru.(C)/ No error(D)
A
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement Error
The question asks us to identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is divided into three parts: (A) The best known leader, (B) among them were, and (C) Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. We also have option (D) for 'No error'.
Let's examine each part carefully to spot any potential mistakes, focusing on grammatical rules, especially subject-verb agreement.
Analyzing Sentence Parts
- Part (A): "The best known leader" - This phrase introduces the subject of the sentence. The noun "leader" is singular.
- Part (B): "among them were" - This part contains the verb "were". The verb "were" is a plural form of the verb 'to be' (past tense).
- Part (C): "Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru." - This part lists several individuals who are being referred to. These are multiple people, indicating a plural context.
Identifying the Subject-Verb Agreement Error
The core issue in this sentence is subject-verb agreement. The verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject.
In the given sentence:
- The subject appears to be "leader" from part (A). "Leader" is singular.
- The verb is "were" from part (B). "Were" is plural.
According to the rule of subject-verb agreement, a singular subject ("leader") requires a singular verb (like "was"). A plural subject (like "leaders") requires a plural verb ("were").
The sentence has a singular subject ("leader") but uses a plural verb ("were"). This is a clear violation of subject-verb agreement.
Furthermore, part (C) lists multiple individuals (Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and Jawaharlal Nehru). These are the people who are being identified as the "best known leader(s)" among the group ("them"). Since part (C) lists multiple individuals, it strongly suggests that the sentence intends to refer to multiple "leaders", not just one "leader".
To make the sentence grammatically correct and consistent with the list in part (C), the subject in part (A) should be plural, i.e., "leaders". If the subject were "The best known leaders" (plural), then the plural verb "were" in part (B) would be correct.
Therefore, the error lies in part (A) where the singular form "leader" is used instead of the plural form "leaders".
Correcting the Sentence
The corrected sentence would be: "The best known leaders among them were Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru."
Conclusion on the Error
Based on the analysis, the error is in part (A) because the singular noun "leader" does not agree with the plural verb "were" and the plural context provided by the list of individuals in part (C).
| Part | Text | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (A) | The best known leader | Subject introduced as singular 'leader'. | Yes (Should likely be 'leaders') |
| (B) | among them were | Verb 'were' is plural. | No (If subject is plural) |
| (C) | Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. | Lists multiple individuals, implying a plural subject. | No |
| (D) | No error | Indicates sentence is correct. | No (There is an error) |
The error is in part (A).
Revision Table: Subject-Verb Agreement Practice
Reviewing subject-verb agreement is crucial for identifying such errors.
| Subject | Number | Example Verb (Present Tense) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| He, She, It, Singular Noun | Singular | is, walks, has, does | He is here. The dog walks fast. |
| I | Singular (Special) | am, walk, have, do | I am happy. I walk daily. |
| You, We, They, Plural Noun | Plural | are, walk, have, do | You are kind. They walk home. Dogs walk fast. |
Additional Information: Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental concept in English grammar. It means that a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. This rule applies to most verbs in the present tense. In the past tense, this agreement is mainly seen with the verb 'to be' (was/were).
Key points to remember:
- The number of the subject (singular or plural) determines the form of the verb.
- Phrases placed between the subject and the verb (like "among them") do not affect the agreement. The verb must agree with the actual subject.
- Compound subjects joined by "and" usually take a plural verb (e.g., Ram and Shyam are friends).
- Compound subjects joined by "or" or "nor" take a verb that agrees with the subject closer to the verb (e.g., Neither the students nor the teacher is present).
Practice identifying the true subject of a sentence before deciding the verb form. This helps in avoiding common subject-verb agreement errors.
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)
