In the given sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error. Vincent Jonson, a musician, are going to lead an 80-man naval band in the Republic Day Parade this year.
are going to lead
Identifying the Grammatical Error
The question asks us to identify the segment of the sentence that contains a grammatical error. Let's break down the sentence and examine each part.
The sentence is: "Vincent Jonson, a musician, are going to lead an 80-man naval band in the Republic Day Parade this year."
Analyzing the Sentence Structure
The main subject of the sentence is "Vincent Jonson". The phrase "a musician" is an appositive phrase, which provides additional information about the subject but does not affect the subject-verb agreement. The core of the sentence is about what Vincent Jonson is doing.
The verb phrase is "are going to lead". This phrase tells us the action the subject is performing.
The rest of the sentence ("an 80-man naval band in the Republic Day Parade this year") provides details about what is being led, where, and when.
Identifying the Grammatical Error
The error in the sentence relates to subject-verb agreement. The subject, "Vincent Jonson", is a singular noun (it refers to one person). In standard English, a singular subject requires a singular verb.
The verb used is "are going to lead". The auxiliary verb "are" is plural. The correct singular auxiliary verb for a present continuous or 'going to' future construction with a third-person singular subject (like Vincent Jonson) should be "is".
Therefore, the correct verb phrase should be "is going to lead".
Examining the Options
Let's look at the given segments:
- Vincent Jonson, a musician: This segment contains the subject and an appositive. Both parts are grammatically correct on their own.
- are going to lead: This segment contains the main verb phrase. As discussed, the auxiliary verb "are" is plural, but the subject "Vincent Jonson" is singular. This creates a subject-verb agreement error.
- in the Republic Day Parade this year: This segment contains prepositional phrases indicating location and time. These phrases are grammatically correct.
- an 80-man naval band: This segment is a noun phrase acting as the direct object. It is grammatically correct.
Conclusion on Grammatical Error
The segment containing the grammatical error is "are going to lead" because the plural verb "are" does not agree with the singular subject "Vincent Jonson". The verb should be singular ("is").
The corrected sentence would be: "Vincent Jonson, a musician, is going to lead an 80-man naval band in the Republic Day Parade this year."
Revision Table: Parts of the Sentence
| Segment | Grammatical Role | Correctness | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vincent Jonson, a musician | Subject + Appositive | Correct | Subject is singular; appositive adds info but doesn't change subject number. |
| are going to lead | Verb Phrase | Incorrect | Plural verb "are" used with singular subject "Vincent Jonson". Should be "is". |
| an 80-man naval band | Direct Object (Noun Phrase) | Correct | Describes what is being led. Grammatically sound. |
| in the Republic Day Parade this year | Adverbial Phrases (Location, Time) | Correct | Provide context about the event. Grammatically sound. |
Additional Information: Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental concept in English grammar. The verb in a sentence must agree in number with its subject. Here are some key points:
- If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. Example: He reads. The dog barks. Vincent Jonson is going.
- If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Example: They read. The dogs bark. We are going.
- Phrases between the subject and the verb, like appositives or prepositional phrases, usually do not affect the subject-verb agreement. You must identify the true subject of the sentence. Example: The box of apples is heavy (subject is 'box', not 'apples'). The students, along with the teacher, are going on a trip (subject is 'students', not 'teacher').
- Compound subjects joined by "and" usually take a plural verb. Example: John and Mary are here.
- Compound subjects joined by "or" or "nor" take a verb that agrees with the subject closest to it. Example: Neither the students nor the teacher is ready. Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
Understanding subject-verb agreement helps ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct and clear.
Important Questions from Error Spotting
The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
It is identification with the audience(a)that makes one come home from the play so much more(b)satisfied than one ever is after merely passive enjoyment of the show.(c) No error.(d)
The following question has a sentence with four parts labelled (a), (b), (c), and (d). Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in any part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
CV Raman was one of the greatest sons of India (a) who has earned everlasting fame (b) for scientific researches. (c) No error. (d)
The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
This box(a)is heavy than(b) the other one.(c) No error. (d)
The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
Thewriter does not have the freedom (a) to choose his own themes, (b) society thrusts them on him (c) No error. (d)
The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
No one knows (a) why he did it, (b) or who was behind his doing it.(c) No error. (d)
