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Question

Some parts of the sentence have an error and some parts are correct. Find out which part of the sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, choose 'No error' as the answer.

The practical uses of astrology (a) / have seldom been seriously (b) / studied outside India. (c) / No error (d)

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2021 GAT Previous Year Paper (18-Apr-2021)
The correct answer is

(d)

Understanding Sentence Structure and Grammar Errors

Let's carefully examine each part of the given sentence to determine if there is any grammatical error. The sentence is: "The practical uses of astrology (a) / have seldom been seriously (b) / studied outside India. (c) / No error (d)". We need to analyze parts (a), (b), and (c).

Analyzing Part (a): The practical uses of astrology

This part of the sentence introduces the subject: "The practical uses of astrology".

  • The main noun is "uses", which is plural.
  • "practical" is an adjective modifying "uses".
  • "of astrology" is a prepositional phrase modifying "uses".
  • The subject is "uses", which is plural.

This part appears to be grammatically correct and forms a valid subject phrase.

Analyzing Part (b): have seldom been seriously

This part contains the verb phrase and an adverb.

  • The helping verb is "have". Since the subject "uses" is plural, "have" is the correct form for present perfect tense.
  • "seldom" is an adverb of frequency. It is correctly placed before the main verb "been studied".
  • "been" is part of the passive voice construction (have been studied).
  • "seriously" is an adverb modifying the verb "studied", indicating how the studying was done. It is correctly placed before the main verb or between the auxiliary and main verb in passive voice.

This part also seems grammatically correct and fits with the plural subject.

Analyzing Part (c): studied outside India.

This part completes the verb phrase and adds location information.

  • "studied" is the past participle form of the verb "study", used here in the passive voice construction "have been studied".
  • "outside India" is a prepositional phrase indicating the location where the studying happens.

This part correctly completes the passive voice structure and provides context. It is grammatically sound.

Conclusion: Identifying the Error Part

Upon analyzing all three parts (a), (b), and (c), we find no grammatical errors in subject-verb agreement, tense, adverb placement, or sentence structure. The sentence is grammatically correct as it stands.

Therefore, the part of the sentence that contains the error is none of the listed parts (a), (b), or (c). This means the correct option is (d) 'No error'.

Revision Table: Sentence Parts Analysis

Part Content Analysis Error?
(a) The practical uses of astrology Plural subject "uses", correctly formed phrase. No
(b) have seldom been seriously Correct plural verb "have", correct adverb placement, part of passive voice. No
(c) studied outside India. Completes passive voice, location phrase. No
(d) No error Indicates absence of error in (a), (b), or (c). N/A (This is the answer)

Additional Information on Sentence Error Identification

Identifying errors in sentences often requires checking several aspects of grammar:

  • Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring the verb form matches the subject (singular subject with singular verb, plural subject with plural verb).
  • Verb Tense: Checking if the correct tense is used based on the context and time frame of the action.
  • Pronoun Agreement: Making sure pronouns agree in number and gender with the nouns they replace.
  • Adverb and Adjective Usage: Ensuring adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, and adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. Correct placement is also crucial.
  • Parallel Structure: Checking if items in a list or comparison are in the same grammatical form.
  • Passive Voice: Understanding the structure (be verb + past participle) and appropriate use of passive voice. The sentence here uses the present perfect passive voice correctly.
  • Word Usage: Using the correct word based on its meaning (e.g., affect vs. effect).

In this specific sentence, the structure "subject (plural) + have + adverb + been + past participle" is a standard construction for the present perfect passive voice with an adverb.

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