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 few moment (1)/ of deliberation (2)/ gave her the solution. (3)/ No error (4)
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Understanding Sentence Errors: "Few" with Nouns
Let's carefully examine the given sentence to identify any grammatical errors.
The sentence is divided into parts:
- The few moment
- of deliberation
- gave her the solution.
- No error
We need to check each part for correctness.
Analyzing Part (1): "The few moment"
The word "few" is a quantifier. It is used with plural countable nouns. Examples include "few books," "few friends," "few ideas."
In part (1), the noun used with "few" is "moment." "Moment" is a singular countable noun.
Therefore, using "few" with the singular noun "moment" is grammatically incorrect.
The correct form should be the plural noun "moments". The phrase should be "The few moments".
Analyzing Part (2): "of deliberation"
This part is a prepositional phrase modifying "moments." "Deliberation" is a noun meaning careful consideration. This part is grammatically correct in structure and usage.
Analyzing Part (3): "gave her the solution."
This part contains the verb "gave" (past tense of give), the indirect object "her," and the direct object "the solution." This structure is grammatically correct and forms a complete predicate for the subject (which would be "The few moments" from part 1).
Conclusion on the Error
Based on the analysis, the error is located in part (1) because the quantifier "few" is used with the singular noun "moment" instead of the required plural noun "moments".
The corrected sentence would be: "The few moments of deliberation gave her the solution."
The part of the sentence with the error is (1).
Revision Table: Articles and Quantifiers
| Quantifier/Article | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Few | Used with plural countable nouns. Means "not many", suggesting a negative sense (almost none). | Few students passed the difficult exam. |
| A few | Used with plural countable nouns. Means "some", suggesting a positive sense (a small number). | A few friends came to visit. |
| Little | Used with uncountable nouns. Means "not much", suggesting a negative sense (almost none). | There was little water left in the bottle. |
| A little | Used with uncountable nouns. Means "some", suggesting a positive sense (a small amount). | We have a little time before the train leaves. |
| The few | Used with plural countable nouns. Refers to a specific small number of something that is already known or mentioned. | The few apples left were rotten. |
| The little | Used with uncountable nouns. Refers to a specific small amount of something that is already known or mentioned. | The little money he had was stolen. |
Additional Information: Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns
Understanding the difference between countable and uncountable nouns is crucial for using quantifiers like "few" and "little" correctly.
- Countable Nouns: These are nouns that can be counted. They have both singular and plural forms. Examples: book (books), student (students), apple (apples), moment (moments).
- Uncountable Nouns: These are nouns that cannot be counted individually. They usually do not have a plural form. Examples: water, sugar, information, advice, air, deliberation.
Quantifiers must agree with the type of noun they modify.
- Use "few" or "a few" with countable nouns.
- Use "little" or "a little" with uncountable nouns.
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)
