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 word ‘Macabre’ had been gained its significance from its (1)/use in French as la danse macabre for the allegorical (2)/representation of the universal power of death. (3)/No error (4)
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Identifying Grammatical Errors in Sentences
The question asks us to identify the part of the given sentence that contains a grammatical error. We need to carefully examine each numbered section for mistakes in grammar, usage, or structure.
Analyzing the Sentence Structure
Let's break down the sentence into its specified parts:
- (1) The word ‘Macabre’ had been gained its significance from its
- (2) use in French as la danse macabre for the allegorical
- (3) representation of the universal power of death.
- (4) No error
Error Analysis of Each Sentence Part
We will now evaluate each part to find any grammatical errors.
Part (1): "The word ‘Macabre’ had been gained its significance from its"
This part contains the main verb phrase: "had been gained". This construction uses the auxiliary verbs "had" and "been" followed by the past participle "gained". This structure, \( \text{had} + \text{been} + \text{past participle} \), is the past perfect passive voice.
Let's consider the subject of this verb phrase: "The word ‘Macabre’". The sentence states that the word 'Macabre' *gained* significance. Did the word perform the action of gaining significance (active voice), or was significance gained *by* the word (passive voice)?
The intended meaning is that the word itself acquired or achieved significance from its use in a specific context. This is an active process performed by the word. Therefore, the sentence requires an active voice verb.
The phrase "had been gained" is in the passive voice. Using the passive voice here is grammatically incorrect because the subject ('The word ‘Macabre’') is the entity performing the action of gaining significance, not receiving the action.
The correct active voice could be the simple past "gained" or the past perfect active "had gained", depending on the specific timeline implied in the original context (if any previous events were mentioned). However, the error is clearly in using the passive voice "had been gained" when an active voice is needed.
Part (2): "use in French as la danse macabre for the allegorical"
This part describes the origin of the significance gained by the word. The phrase "from its use in French as la danse macabre" is grammatically sound and functions correctly to explain how the significance was acquired.
Part (3): "representation of the universal power of death."
This part further elaborates on what 'la danse macabre' refers to. The phrase "for the allegorical representation of the universal power of death" is grammatically correct and completes the description initiated in part (2).
Part (4): No error
Since we have identified a clear error in part (1), this option is not correct.
Identifying the Sentence Error Location
Based on our analysis, the grammatical error lies in part (1) because of the incorrect use of the past perfect passive voice ("had been gained") when the active voice is required for the subject "The word ‘Macabre’".
Conclusion on Sentence Error
The sentence contains an error in the first part.
Revision Table: Common Grammar Errors
| Type of Error | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-Verb Agreement | The verb must match its subject in number (singular or plural). | Incorrect: She go to the park. Correct: She goes to the park. |
| Verb Tense Consistency | Using the correct verb tense to show the time of an action and maintaining consistency. | Incorrect: He was walking home when he sees an accident. Correct: He was walking home when he saw an accident. |
| Pronoun Agreement | A pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces (its antecedent). | Incorrect: Each student should bring their own lunch. Correct: Each student should bring his or her own lunch. (Or rephrase to plural: Students should bring their own lunches.) |
| Incorrect Voice (Active/Passive) | Using passive voice when active is appropriate, or vice versa, making the sentence awkward or unclear. | Incorrect (as in the question): Significance had been gained by the word. Correct: The word had gained significance. |
Additional Information: Understanding Active and Passive Voice
The error in the sentence relates directly to the misuse of passive voice. Let's clarify the difference:
Active Voice Explanation
In active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb.
Formula: Subject + Verb + Object (optional)
Example: The author wrote the book.
Here, "The author" is the subject, and "wrote" is the action performed by the subject. "The book" is the object receiving the action.
Passive Voice Explanation
In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb. The doer of the action is often mentioned in a "by" phrase or is omitted if unknown or unimportant.
Formula: Subject (receiver) + form of "be" + Past Participle + (optional: by + doer)
Example: The book was written by the author.
Here, "The book" is the subject, but it is receiving the action "was written". The doer is "the author" in the "by" phrase.
Why Active Voice is Preferred (Generally)
Active voice sentences are usually more direct, clear, and concise. They make it immediately obvious who is performing the action.
When Passive Voice is Useful
Passive voice is appropriate when:
- You want to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action, not the doer (e.g., "The ancient artifact was discovered in Egypt.").
- The doer of the action is unknown (e.g., "My wallet was stolen.").
- You want to maintain objectivity (common in scientific reports, e.g., "The experiment was conducted at 20°C.").
In the original sentence about the word 'Macabre', the subject ('The word ‘Macabre’') is the entity gaining significance, making active voice the correct choice. The passive construction "had been gained" is therefore a grammatical error.
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)
