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'. In personification, inanimate objects (1)/ and abstract notions are spoken of (2)/ as life and intelligent. (3)/ No error (4)
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Analyzing the Sentence for Grammatical Errors
The question asks us to identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence describes the figure of speech known as personification.
Let's break down the sentence and examine each part:
- Part (1): "In personification, inanimate objects" - This part introduces the context (personification) and the subjects that are often personified (inanimate objects). This part is grammatically correct.
- Part (2): "and abstract notions are spoken of" - This part continues the list of subjects (abstract notions) and describes how they are treated in personification ("are spoken of"). This is a correct passive construction. This part is grammatically correct.
- Part (3): "as life and intelligent." - This part describes *how* inanimate objects and abstract notions are spoken of in personification. The phrase "as life and intelligent" is problematic. When we say something is spoken of "as X", X should typically be a noun, a noun phrase, or an adjective describing a state or quality. Here, we have "life" (a noun) and "intelligent" (an adjective). This structure lacks parallel construction and the use of "life" here is awkward and grammatically incorrect in this context. It should describe the state or quality they are given. The intended meaning is likely that they are spoken of as if they are alive and possess intelligence. A more appropriate phrasing would be "as living and intelligent" or "as having life and intelligence". The current form "as life and intelligent" is incorrect due to the mix of a noun ("life") and an adjective ("intelligent") and the ungrammatical use of "life" in this construction.
- Part (4): "No error" - This option is selected if the sentence is free from error.
Based on the analysis, the error lies in Part (3) where the phrase "as life and intelligent" is used incorrectly.
Identifying the Error in Part (3)
Let's look closely at Part (3): "as life and intelligent."
- The word "life" is a noun.
- The word "intelligent" is an adjective.
When describing the qualities or states that something is spoken of as having, especially using "as", we typically use parallel structures. The phrase "spoken of as..." often takes a noun phrase or an adjective or participles that describe the state. For instance:
- Spoken of as a king (noun phrase)
- Spoken of as dead (adjective)
- Spoken of as heroes (noun)
- Spoken of as being wise (participle/adjective phrase)
In the original sentence, "as life and intelligent" attempts to describe the state they are spoken of in. The correct structure should likely use parallel adjectives or adjective-like words to describe the state of being alive and intelligent. For example, "as living and intelligent".
Therefore, the combination and form of words in "as life and intelligent" is grammatically incorrect and lacks parallel structure.
Conclusion
The error is found in part (3) of the sentence, specifically in the phrase "as life and intelligent." This phrase should be rephrased for grammatical correctness and parallel structure, likely using adjectives or participial forms such as "as living and intelligent".
Thus, the part of the sentence with the error is (3).
| Part | Sentence Segment | Analysis | Error? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) | In personification, inanimate objects | Correct introduction of topic and subject. | No |
| (2) | and abstract notions are spoken of | Correct continuation of subjects and passive verb construction. | No |
| (3) | as life and intelligent. | Incorrect mixing of noun and adjective, lack of parallel structure, ungrammatical use of "life". Should likely be "as living and intelligent". | Yes |
| (4) | No error | The sentence contains an error. | No |
Revision Table: Key Grammar Concepts
| Concept | Explanation | Relevance to Question |
|---|---|---|
| Parts of Speech | Words are categorized based on their function in a sentence (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.). | Identifying whether "life" is a noun and "intelligent" is an adjective is crucial to spotting the error. |
| Parallel Structure | Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can occur at the word, phrase, or clause level. | The phrase "as life and intelligent" fails to use parallel structure because it mixes a noun ("life") with an adjective ("intelligent"). |
| Grammatical Usage | The correct way to use words and phrases in a sentence according to established rules. | The specific construction "spoken of as life" is not standard or correct English usage when trying to describe the state of being alive; "spoken of as living" or "spoken of as if alive" would be correct. |
Additional Information: Understanding Personification
Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea or a thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. Inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas are portrayed in such a way that they act or are described with human characteristics.
Examples of personification:
- The wind whispered through the trees. (Wind whispering is a human action)
- The sun smiled down on us. (Sun smiling is a human action)
- Opportunity knocked on his door. (Opportunity knocking is a human action)
- The old car groaned as it started. (Car groaning is a human sound/action indicating pain)
The sentence in the question attempts to define personification, stating that inanimate objects and abstract notions "are spoken of as life and intelligent." While the idea is correct (giving them qualities of living, intelligent beings), the phrasing in part (3) is grammatically flawed.
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)
