Identifying Grammatical Errors in Sentences

The question asks us to find the segment containing a grammatical error in the sentence: "I learnt to adapt quickly to new schools because we moved to new places quite frequent." Let's examine each part of the sentence to pinpoint any issues.

Analyzing the Sentence Segments

We will break down the sentence into the provided options and analyze each one:

• I learnt to adapt quickly: This part seems grammatically correct. "I" is the subject, "learnt" is the verb, and "to adapt quickly" is an infinitive phrase acting as the object or complement, with "quickly" being an adverb modifying "adapt".
• to new schools: This is a prepositional phrase ("to" + "new schools") which specifies where the adaptation occurred. This is grammatically sound.
• we moved to new places: This is a clause introduced by "because". "we" is the subject, "moved" is the verb, and "to new places" is a prepositional phrase indicating destination. This part is also grammatically correct.
• quite frequent: This phrase follows the clause "we moved to new places" and appears to describe the frequency of moving. Let's look closely at the words used.

Focusing on 'quite frequent'

The phrase is "quite frequent". Here, "frequent" is an adjective. Adjectives are used to describe nouns or pronouns. For example, "a frequent visitor" or "frequent trips".

However, in the given sentence, "quite frequent" is modifying the verb "moved" or the action of moving to new places. Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. We need a word that describes *how* or *how often* the moving happened.

The adverbial form of the adjective "frequent" is "frequently". Therefore, the sentence should use the adverb "frequently" to modify the verb "moved". The word "quite" is an adverb modifying "frequent", and it correctly modifies the adverbial form "frequently" as well.

So, "quite frequent" should be corrected to "quite frequently". This indicates that the segment "quite frequent" contains the grammatical error.

Identifying the Grammatical Error Segment

Based on our analysis, the segment that uses an adjective ("frequent") where an adverb ("frequently") is required is "quite frequent". This is the grammatical error.

Conclusion

The sentence requires an adverb to modify the verb "moved", but the adjective "frequent" is used instead. The correct word should be "frequently". Therefore, the segment "quite frequent" contains the error.

Revision Table: Adjectives vs. Adverbs

Understanding the difference between adjectives and adverbs is crucial for identifying and correcting grammatical errors like the one found in the sentence.

Additional Information on Frequency Adverbs

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something happens. They often answer the question "How often?".

Examples of frequency adverbs include:

• Always
• Usually
• Often
• Sometimes
• Seldom
• Rarely
• Never
• Frequently
• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Yearly

These adverbs are typically placed before the main verb (except for the verb 'to be') or after the verb 'to be'. However, some, like 'frequently', 'often', 'sometimes', and 'usually', can also appear at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis or variation.

In our sentence, "we moved to new places quite frequently," the adverb "frequently" modifies the verb "moved," indicating the frequency of the action.