Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response on the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter (a), (b) or (c). If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a “No improvement” response will be signified by the letter (d). It was the mother of the girl of whose voice I had recognized.
whose voice
Understanding Relative Pronouns and Sentence Structure
The question asks us to examine the underlined part of the sentence, "It was the mother of the girl of whose voice I had recognized," and determine if one of the given substitutions improves the sentence.
The underlined phrase is "of whose voice". This involves the relative pronoun "whose".
Analysing the Original Sentence
The original sentence is "It was the mother of the girl of whose voice I had recognized." Let's break down the components:
- "It was the mother of the girl" - This identifies the person (the mother).
- "of whose voice I had recognized" - This is a relative clause modifying "the girl". The clause tells us something about the girl's voice.
The relative pronoun "whose" is used to show possession. It links the possessor (the girl) to the possessed item (her voice). The structure "whose voice" means "the voice of the girl".
Using "of whose voice" is redundant. "Whose" already incorporates the idea of "of whom" or "of which". Therefore, "of whose voice" is equivalent to saying "of the voice of the girl", which is grammatically awkward and incorrect in this context.
Evaluating the Options
Let's look at the proposed substitutions:
Option (a): whose voice
Substituting "of whose voice" with "whose voice" gives us: "It was the mother of the girl whose voice I had recognized."
In this sentence, "whose voice I had recognized" is a relative clause modifying "the girl". "Whose" is the possessive relative pronoun linking "girl" to "voice". The structure "whose voice" correctly means "the voice of the girl". This sentence is grammatically correct and flows naturally.
Option (b): the voice of who
Substituting with "the voice of who" gives us: "It was the mother of the girl the voice of who I had recognized."
The phrase "the voice of who" is grammatically incorrect. "Who" is a subject pronoun. When referring to possession or following a preposition like "of", we would use "whom" in formal contexts, or more commonly, the possessive "whose". Furthermore, the structure "the girl the voice of who" is awkward and doesn't form a proper relative clause.
Option (c): voice whose
Substituting with "voice whose" gives us: "It was the mother of the girl voice whose I had recognized."
The word order "voice whose" is incorrect for a relative clause modifying "the girl". The possessive relative pronoun "whose" should typically precede the noun it modifies ("whose voice", "whose car", etc.).
Option (d): No improvement
Since option (a) provides a clear grammatical improvement over the original sentence, "No improvement" is not the correct response.
Conclusion on Sentence Improvement
Comparing the options, "whose voice" is the only grammatically correct and natural-sounding substitution that properly forms a relative clause modifying "the girl" and indicating possession of the voice.
| Phrase | Grammatical Correctness | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| of whose voice (original) | Incorrect/Redundant | "Whose" already implies "of whom/which". "Of whose voice" is redundant. |
| whose voice (Option a) | Correct | "Whose voice" correctly means "the voice of the girl", forming a proper relative clause. |
| the voice of who (Option b) | Incorrect | "Who" is a subject pronoun. Incorrect structure for a relative clause. |
| voice whose (Option c) | Incorrect | Incorrect word order for the possessive relative pronoun "whose". |
Revision Table: English Grammar Concepts
Let's quickly review some relevant grammar points:
- Relative Pronouns: Words like who, whom, whose, which, that. They introduce relative clauses that give more information about a noun.
- Possessive Relative Pronoun: "Whose" is used to show possession. It replaces a possessive noun or pronoun (like 'her voice') and connects a noun to a clause describing something it possesses. Example: "This is the dog whose tail is long." (This is the dog; its tail is long.)
- Sentence Improvement: Identifying grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, or redundancy in a sentence and finding a more correct or clearer way to express the same idea.
Additional Information: Using 'Whose'
"Whose" is a versatile relative pronoun. While most commonly used for people (like in this question, referring to a girl), it can also be used for animals or even things, especially in formal writing, although "of which" is often preferred for things.
Examples of using "whose":
- The artist whose painting sold for a million dollars is here. (The painting of the artist)
- We saw a house whose windows were all broken. (The windows of the house)
- The car whose engine broke down is being towed. (The engine of the car)
Remember that "whose" is a relative pronoun showing possession, whereas "who's" is a contraction of "who is" or "who has". These are often confused but have very different meanings and uses.
Similar Questions
Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding letter. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response.
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The man disappeared after he was rescuing a boy from drowning.Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding letter. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response.
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The chairman with the other members of the board are touring Europe these days.
Direction: Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold/underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding letter. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response.
I shall be obliged if youcould grantme an interview.
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
The questions are so simple that a child can understand it .
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
Even children shrink away from food thinking that they should become overweight.
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No substitution required.
The weather reports is prepared by the Meteorological Department of the Government.
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
He decided to leave very quickly the hotel.
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution required’.
I have been worked hard to finish this project.
