Parts of the given sentence have been underlined and given as options. One of them contains an error. Select the option that correctly rectifies the error. It is possible to prevent oneself with respiratory diseases by maintaining a disciplined lifestyle.
from respiratory diseases
Understanding the Sentence and Identifying the Grammar Error
The sentence provided is: "It is possible to prevent oneself with respiratory diseases by maintaining a disciplined lifestyle." We need to examine the underlined parts to find the one that contains a grammatical error and identify the correct way to fix it.
Let's break down the parts:
- "with respiratory diseases"
- "maintaining"
- "a disciplined lifestyle"
The verb "prevent" is used in the sentence. This verb often requires a specific preposition to indicate what is being prevented. Let's consider the common usage of "prevent".
Analyzing the Use of 'Prevent' and Prepositions
The verb "prevent" means to stop something from happening or to stop someone from doing something. When you are preventing someone or something from an undesirable outcome, the correct preposition to use is typically "from".
For example:
- We prevented him from leaving.
- The fence prevents animals from entering the garden.
- Good hygiene prevents the spread from germs.
In the given sentence, the action is preventing "oneself" from contracting or suffering from "respiratory diseases". Therefore, the phrase should indicate preventing oneself from respiratory diseases, not with respiratory diseases.
Pinpointing the Error and Rectifying It
Based on the standard usage of the verb "prevent", the preposition "with" in the phrase "with respiratory diseases" is incorrect. The correct preposition should be "from".
Let's look at the options provided, which represent corrections:
- Option 1: "of prevent oneself" - This doesn't address the preposition issue and uses "of" incorrectly with "prevent oneself".
- Option 2: "to a disciplined lifestyle" - This refers to the method ("by maintaining a disciplined lifestyle") and doesn't contain the primary error related to "prevent" and diseases.
- Option 3: "on maintaining" - This refers to the method part of the sentence and isn't where the error lies.
- Option 4: "from respiratory diseases" - This option correctly replaces "with" with "from", addressing the grammatical error related to the preposition used with "prevent".
The phrase "prevent oneself from respiratory diseases" is grammatically correct and fits the context of the sentence.
Corrected Sentence
By selecting the option that correctly rectifies the error, the sentence becomes:
It is possible to prevent oneself from respiratory diseases by maintaining a disciplined lifestyle.
Here is a comparison of the incorrect and correct phrases:
| Incorrect Phrase | Correct Phrase |
|---|---|
| with respiratory diseases | from respiratory diseases |
Conclusion
The error is in the preposition used with the verb "prevent". The phrase "with respiratory diseases" should be "from respiratory diseases". The option that provides this correction is the correct answer.
Revision Table: Key Grammar Points
| Grammar Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb 'Prevent' | To stop something from happening or someone from doing something. | The barrier prevents flooding. |
| 'Prevent from' | Standard structure when indicating what is being stopped or avoided. | Prevent children from running into the street. |
| Preposition Usage | Choosing the correct preposition is crucial for clear and grammatically correct sentences. | Correct: Depend on. Incorrect: Depend with. |
Additional Information: Prepositions with Verbs
Understanding which prepositions follow certain verbs is a common area tested in grammar questions. These combinations are often called phrasal verbs or simply verb-preposition collocations. While "prevent from" is a strong collocation, many other verbs pair with specific prepositions, and learning these can significantly improve your English accuracy.
Examples of other verb-preposition pairs:
- Rely on
- Depend on
- Believe in
- Listen to
- Agree with (a person) / Agree on (a topic)
- Consist of
Paying attention to these pairs when reading and practicing can help you identify and correct preposition errors in sentences.
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)
