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'. Owing to the disturbing noise,( A)/ the speaker was forced (B)/ to adjourn the meetings.(C)/ No error (D)
C
Identify the English Grammar Error
The question asks us to find the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is broken into three parts, (A), (B), and (C), with an option for 'No error' (D).
Let's examine each part of the sentence to identify any potential errors in grammar, usage, or structure.
- Part (A): Owing to the disturbing noise,
- Part (B): the speaker was forced
- Part (C): to adjourn the meetings.
- Part (D): No error
Analyzing Each Part of the Sentence
We will look closely at each segment of the sentence:
Part (A): Owing to the disturbing noise,
- The phrase "Owing to" is a correct and common way to indicate the reason or cause for something, similar to "because of" or "due to".
- "the disturbing noise" is a noun phrase acting as the object of the prepositional phrase "Owing to". "Disturbing" acts as a present participle used as an adjective modifying "noise".
- This part seems grammatically correct and makes sense in the context of explaining the reason for the speaker's action.
Part (B): the speaker was forced
- "the speaker" is the subject of the main clause.
- "was forced" is the verb phrase in the passive voice (past tense). This construction is correct when describing someone being compelled to do something by an external factor (the noise, in this case).
- This part also appears grammatically correct.
Part (C): to adjourn the meetings.
- This is an infinitive phrase ("to adjourn") acting as the complement of the verb "was forced". "forced to do something" is a standard structure.
- The verb "adjourn" means to break off a meeting, legal case, or game with the intention of resuming it later. It implies stopping a formal session.
- The issue here lies with the object "the meetings" (plural). In the context of "Owing to the disturbing noise," it is highly likely that the noise interrupted a single, ongoing meeting where the speaker was present. If the speaker was forced to stop the current session because of noise, the correct and standard phrase would be "to adjourn the meeting" (singular). Using "meetings" (plural) suggests that multiple distinct meetings were being adjourned simultaneously or as a consequence of the noise, which is not implied by the sentence structure or context.
Identifying the Specific Error
Based on the analysis, the use of the plural noun "meetings" in part (C) is likely the error. The context of a sudden "disturbing noise" forcing a speaker to act implies the interruption of a single event – the meeting currently in progress. Therefore, the singular "meeting" should be used.
Correcting Part (C):
Instead of "to adjourn the meetings.", it should be "to adjourn the meeting."
The corrected sentence would read: "Owing to the disturbing noise, the speaker was forced to adjourn the meeting."
Therefore, the error is in part (C).
| Part | Sentence Segment | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (A) | Owing to the disturbing noise, | Correct use of 'owing to' and noun phrase. | No |
| (B) | the speaker was forced | Correct use of passive voice structure. | No |
| (C) | to adjourn the meetings. | Incorrect use of plural 'meetings' instead of singular 'meeting' in this context. | Yes |
| (D) | No error | The sentence has an error in part (C). | No (This option is incorrect) |
Conclusion on Grammar Error Identification
The error in the sentence is found in part (C), specifically the use of the plural "meetings" when the context suggests a single "meeting" was being adjourned due to the noise.
Revision Table: Key Grammar Concepts
| Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Owing to | A prepositional phrase meaning 'because of' or 'due to', used to introduce the reason for something. | Owing to the rain, the game was cancelled. |
| Passive Voice | A grammatical voice construction where the subject is acted upon (e.g., 'was forced'). | The ball was hit by the player. |
| Infinitive Phrase | A phrase starting with 'to' followed by a base verb, often used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Here, it functions as the complement after 'forced'. | She wants to learn French. |
| Adjourn | To suspend a meeting or session until a later time. Typically used with 'meeting' (singular) when referring to a single session being interrupted. | The committee voted to adjourn the meeting. |
Additional Information: Verb Usage and Context
Choosing the correct form of a noun (singular or plural) is crucial for grammatical accuracy and clarity, especially when tied to verb usage like "adjourn".
- The verb "adjourn" is commonly used for formal gatherings. When you say "adjourn the meeting," it clearly refers to stopping one specific meeting currently in session.
- If you were referring to a series of planned meetings being cancelled or postponed due to a general issue (not necessarily happening at that moment), you *might* say something like "The board decided to adjourn the planned meetings for the week," but this requires a different context than the one provided by "disturbing noise" affecting a speaker *at that moment*.
- In this question's scenario, the noise is an immediate disturbance affecting the ongoing event, making the singular "meeting" the appropriate choice.
Understanding the context is key to identifying such errors, as grammatical correctness often depends on how words are used together in a sentence to convey a specific meaning.
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