In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error. Firecrackers have seized by the government went off while being defused on the banks of the river Ganga, in a town in West Bengal.
Firecrackers have seized by the government
Identify the Grammatical Error Segment
The question asks us to find the part of the given sentence that contains a grammatical error. Let's look at the sentence:
Firecrackers have seized by the government went off while being defused on the banks of the river Ganga, in a town in West Bengal.
We need to examine each segment provided in the options to determine which one is grammatically incorrect in the context of this sentence.
Analyzing the Sentence Structure and Options
The main subject of the sentence is "Firecrackers," and the main verb is "went off." The phrase "have seized by the government" describes the firecrackers. Let's break down the options:
| Option Segment | Analysis | Grammatically Correct? |
|---|---|---|
| on the banks of the river Ganga | This is a prepositional phrase indicating location. It correctly describes where the firecrackers went off or were defused. | Yes |
| while being defused | This is a participial phrase acting adverbially, describing the condition or action simultaneous to the firecrackers going off. "being defused" is in the present participle passive form, which is correct for something that is actively being defused. | Yes |
| in a town in West Bengal | This is a prepositional phrase indicating location, specifying the town. It is grammatically correct. | Yes |
| Firecrackers have seized by the government | This phrase describes the firecrackers. The action "seized by the government" was done *to* the firecrackers. This requires a passive construction to correctly describe the state or prior action affecting the firecrackers. "have seized" is in the present perfect active voice. The firecrackers didn't seize something; they were seized. | No |
Identifying the Grammatical Error
The error lies in the phrase "Firecrackers have seized by the government". The firecrackers were the recipients of the action of seizing. Therefore, a passive construction is needed to describe the firecrackers. The phrase should indicate that the firecrackers *were seized* or simply use the past participle "seized" as part of a reduced relative clause ("Firecrackers seized by the government...").
Using "have seized" in the active voice here is incorrect because the subject "Firecrackers" is not performing the action of seizing.
Correct ways to phrase this part could be:
- Firecrackers that were seized by the government... (using a relative clause in passive voice)
- Firecrackers seized by the government... (using a reduced relative clause, where "that were" is omitted, and the past participle functions effectively like an adjective here)
The segment "Firecrackers have seized by the government" uses the wrong tense and voice (active instead of passive) to describe the firecrackers in relation to the action of seizing.
Conclusion on the Grammatical Error
Based on the analysis, the segment containing the grammatical error is "Firecrackers have seized by the government". It incorrectly uses the active voice ("have seized") when a passive construction is required to show that the firecrackers were the object of the action of seizing.
Revision Table: Key Grammar Concepts
| Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Active Voice | The subject performs the action. | The government seized the firecrackers. |
| Passive Voice | The subject receives the action. Uses a form of 'be' + past participle. | The firecrackers were seized by the government. |
| Past Participle as Adjective / in Reduced Clause | A past participle can describe a noun, often implying a completed action done to the noun. Used in reduced relative clauses (e.g., omitting 'that were'). | The seized firecrackers... (Here, "seized" describes firecrackers) Firecrackers (that were) seized by the government... |
Additional Information: Understanding Passive Voice
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action and the object of the action, rather than the performer of the action. It is formed using a form of the verb 'to be' followed by the past participle of the main verb.
For example:
- Active: The dog chased the ball. (Focus on the dog)
- Passive: The ball was chased by the dog. (Focus on the ball and the action it received)
In the sentence from the question, the focus is on the firecrackers and what happened to them (they were seized). Therefore, a passive structure is appropriate to describe them before they went off.
The error "have seized" incorrectly uses the present perfect active voice. This would imply the firecrackers themselves did the seizing, which doesn't make sense in this context. The correct structure requires a form that shows the firecrackers were acted upon, hence a passive construction or a past participle used descriptively.
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)
