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Question

Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.

He was fatiguing because he spent seven break-less hours on the computer.

This question was previously asked in
SSC Stenographer 2023 Previous Year Paper (13-Oct-2023) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is

was fatigued because

Understanding the Sentence Correction Question

The question asks us to replace the underlined phrase "was fatiguing because" in the sentence "He was fatiguing because he spent seven break-less hours on the computer." The original sentence describes someone's state after spending a long time on the computer. We need to find the most appropriate grammatical construction to express that he felt tired.

The key is understanding the meaning of "fatiguing" versus "fatigued".

  • Fatiguing: This is the present participle of the verb "fatigue". It is often used as an adjective meaning 'causing fatigue' or 'tiring'. For example, "Working for 12 hours is fatiguing."
  • Fatigued: This is the past participle of the verb "fatigue". It is often used as an adjective meaning 'affected by fatigue' or 'tired'. For example, "He felt fatigued after working for 12 hours."

In the given sentence, "He" is the person experiencing the fatigue. Therefore, we need a word that describes his state of being tired, which is "fatigued".

Analyzing the Options for Substituting "was fatiguing because"

Let's look at each option to see which one correctly substitutes "was fatiguing because":

  • Option 1: was fatigued because
    This option uses "was fatigued". "Fatigued" is the correct adjective to describe the state of being tired. "Because" correctly introduces the reason for his state. The sentence would read "He was fatigued because he spent seven break-less hours on the computer." This is grammatically correct and makes sense in context.
  • Option 2: has been fatiguing because
    This option uses the present perfect continuous "has been fatiguing". This tense is used for actions that started in the past and continue into the present or have just finished. However, "fatiguing" here would still imply 'causing fatigue', which doesn't fit the subject "He". It would mean "He has been causing fatigue...", which is incorrect.
  • Option 3: was fatigueless because
    The word "fatigueless" means without fatigue. This is the opposite of what the sentence intends to convey, given that he spent seven break-less hours on the computer. This option is incorrect.
  • Option 4: was fatigueness because
    "Fatigueness" is not a standard English word. The noun form is "fatigue". This option is grammatically incorrect.

Conclusion on the Substitution

Based on the analysis, the most appropriate substitution for "was fatiguing because" is "was fatigued because". This correctly expresses that the subject felt tired due to the described activity.

The corrected sentence is: "He was fatigued because he spent seven break-less hours on the computer."

Revision Table: Understanding Participles as Adjectives

Participle Form Meaning when used as Adjective Example
Present Participle Verb + -ing (e.g., fatiguing, interesting, boring) Describes something that causes the feeling. The long walk was fatiguing. (The walk caused fatigue)
Past Participle Verb + -ed (or irregular form) (e.g., fatigued, interested, bored) Describes someone or something that experiences the feeling. He felt fatigued after the long walk. (He experienced fatigue)

Additional Information: 'Because' and Cause-Effect

The word 'because' is a conjunction used to introduce a clause that explains the reason or cause of something. In the sentence, "because he spent seven break-less hours on the computer" explains why he felt fatigued. It correctly connects the effect (being fatigued) to the cause (spending long hours on the computer). Other conjunctions like 'since' or 'as' could also be used similarly to indicate cause.

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Similar Questions

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Important Questions from Phrase Replacement

  1. Select the option that will improve the underlined part of the given sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select 'No improvement required'.
    The doors and windows will have painted by afternoon.
  2. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, No substitution required.

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  3. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.

    Gayatri informed one of the directors that she has sent the material for printing.

  4. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select option No substitution required.

    We had been almost halfway there when the left rear tyre blew out

  5. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select option No substitution required.

    The man spent a lot because he had so large amount of money.

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