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'. He had no (A)/ accuse for attacking (B)/ that old man. (C)/ No Error (D)
B
Understanding Sentence Errors in English Grammar
Let's analyze the given sentence to identify any potential grammatical errors. The sentence is divided into three parts: (A) He had no, (B) accuse for attacking, (C) that old man. We also have the option (D) No Error.
Analyzing Each Part of the Sentence
We will examine each part of the sentence carefully.
- Part (A): He had no
This part introduces the subject "He" and the verb phrase "had no". This structure is grammatically correct and sets up the negation of something that follows.
- Part (B): accuse for attacking
This part contains the word "accuse" followed by "for attacking". The word "accuse" is typically used as a verb, meaning to charge someone with an offense or crime (e.g., "They accused him of theft"). In this sentence, the structure "had no..." requires a noun or noun phrase after "no" to complete the meaning (e.g., "He had no money", "He had no idea"). Using the verb "accuse" here is grammatically incorrect. The context suggests the sentence is talking about a lack of justification or reason for attacking the old man. The correct word needed here is likely the noun "excuse", which means a reason or explanation put forward to justify a fault or offense. Therefore, "accuse for attacking" is the part with the error.
- Part (C): that old man
This part functions as the object of the gerund phrase "attacking". "That old man" is a grammatically correct noun phrase and fits the context of the sentence.
Identifying the Specific Grammar Error
As identified in the analysis, the error lies in Part (B). The word "accuse" is incorrectly used as a noun. It should be replaced by a suitable noun like "excuse" or possibly "reason" to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful. The correct phrase should be "excuse for attacking".
Conclusion: Locating the Error Part
Based on the detailed analysis, the error is found in part (B) of the sentence: "accuse for attacking". The sentence should correctly read: "He had no excuse for attacking that old man."
Therefore, the appropriate option indicating the error is (B).
Revision Table: Correcting Common Word Usage Errors
| Incorrect Usage Example | Correct Word | Correct Usage Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| He had no accuse for... | excuse | He had no excuse for... | 'Accuse' is a verb (to blame); 'excuse' is a noun (a reason/justification). |
| Affect the climate | effect | The drug had a strong effect. | 'Affect' is usually a verb (to influence); 'effect' is usually a noun (a result). |
| Their going home | They're | They're going home. | 'Their' is possessive; 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are'. |
Additional Information: Understanding Parts of Speech
It's crucial to understand different parts of speech to avoid such errors. Let's quickly review the key parts of speech involved in this sentence:
- Noun: A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea (e.g., man, house, book, excuse, reason). In the sentence, "man" is a noun. We needed a noun like "excuse" after "no".
- Verb: A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence (e.g., run, attack, is, had, accuse). In the sentence, "had" and "attacking" (gerund form of the verb 'attack') are related to verbs. "Accuse" is a verb.
- Preposition: A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence (e.g., for, of, in, on). In the sentence, "for" is a preposition.
Understanding whether a word functions as a noun, verb, adjective, etc., in a specific context is key to constructing grammatically correct sentences.
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)
