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Question

Select the option that will improve the underlined part of the given sentence.

I don’t get on with the new boss, so I have asked to transferring to another branch of the company.

The correct answer is

have asked to be transferred

Improving the Underlined Part of a Sentence: Grammatical Correction

The question asks us to select the option that best improves the underlined part of the sentence:

I don’t get on with the new boss, so I have asked to transferring to another branch of the company.

The underlined phrase is "have asked to transferring". Let's analyze this part of the sentence.

Analyzing the Grammatical Error

The verb "ask" followed by "to" usually takes an infinitive form after it. For example, "I asked to leave" or "He asked me to help". In the given sentence, "I have asked" is followed by "to" and then "transferring". The word "transferring" is the present participle or gerund form of the verb "transfer". Following "to" in this construction, we expect an infinitive form (like "to transfer") or, if the subject is the recipient of the action, a passive infinitive form (like "to be transferred").

The sentence means that the speaker wants someone else (likely the company or their manager) to move them to a different branch. The action of transferring is being done to the speaker, not by the speaker. This requires the passive voice.

Therefore, the structure needed is a passive infinitive: "to be + past participle". The past participle of "transfer" is "transferred".

The correct phrase should be "to be transferred".

Evaluating the Options for Sentence Improvement

Let's look at the provided options and see which one correctly uses the passive infinitive form and fits the sentence structure.

  • Option 1: will have ask to be transfer

This option uses "will have ask", which is not grammatically correct. The future perfect tense requires the past participle after "have" ("will have asked"). Also, "to be transfer" is incorrect; the past participle is "transferred".

  • Option 2: have asked to be transferred

This option uses "have asked", which maintains the original tense structure (present perfect). It correctly follows with the passive infinitive "to be transferred". This fits the requirement of the speaker asking to be moved by the company.

  • Option 3: having ask to be transferred

This option starts with "having ask", which is grammatically incorrect. The correct form would be "having asked" (a perfect gerund/participle phrase). Even if corrected, it doesn't fit directly into the position of the underlined phrase following "so I".

  • Option 4: have been ask to be transferring

This option uses "have been ask", which is grammatically incorrect. The correct passive form of "ask" in the present perfect is "have been asked". Also, "to be transferring" is a passive progressive infinitive, which doesn't fit the context of requesting a single action of being moved.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, Option 2, "have asked to be transferred", is the only grammatically correct phrase that appropriately replaces the underlined part and maintains the intended meaning of the sentence using the correct passive infinitive after "asked to".

The corrected sentence would be: I don’t get on with the new boss, so I have asked to be transferred to another branch of the company.

Original Phrase Error Correction Needed
have asked to transferring Incorrect verb form after 'to'. Needs passive infinitive. have asked to be transferred

Revision Table: Key Grammar Points

Concept Explanation Example
Infinitive Form The base form of a verb preceded by "to" (e.g., to run, to eat). Often follows certain verbs. I want to leave.
Passive Voice Used when the subject is the recipient of the action. Formed with "be" + past participle. The ball was hit by the player.
Passive Infinitive The passive form of the infinitive: "to be" + past participle. Used when the subject requests or expects to receive the action. He hopes to be promoted soon.
Present Perfect Tense Formed with "have/has" + past participle. Used for actions that started in the past and continue or have results in the present. They have finished the work.

Additional Information on Verb Structures

Understanding which verb form follows another verb or preposition is crucial in English grammar. The verb "ask" can be followed by several structures:

  • Ask + for + Noun: I asked for help.
  • Ask + infinitive: I asked to speak to the manager.
  • Ask + object + infinitive: I asked him to call me back.

In our sentence, "I have asked to..." means "I have made a request to...". The subject of the infinitive phrase is the same as the subject of "asked" (I). However, the *action* of transferring is not something the speaker is doing; it's something they want done *to* them. This is why the passive infinitive "to be transferred" is needed.

Consider the difference:

  • I asked to transfer myself (Incorrect meaning in context - implies the speaker has the power to move themselves).
  • I asked to be transferred (Correct meaning - implies the speaker requested someone else to move them).

This highlights the importance of choosing between active and passive forms based on who is performing and who is receiving the action.

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Important Questions from Miscellaneous

  1. A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a 20 m high building with a speed of 12 m/s. It hits the ground at a distance R from the building. Taking g = 10 m/s2 and neglecting air resistance will give :

  2. A mass is attached to a spring that hangs vertically. The extension produced in the spring is 6 cm on Earth. The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Moon is one-sixth of its value on the surface of the Earth. The extension of the spring on the Moon would be:

  3. Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words (a), (b), (c), and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response in your Answer Sheet accordingly.

    The deluge affected the population.
  4. The major source of vitamins and minerals for vegetarians is

  5. Which of the following statements about the Deccan Riots Commission is/are correct?

    1. The Commission did not hold enquiries in the districts which were not affected.

    2. The Commission did record the statements of ryots, sahukars and eye-witnesses.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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