Identifying Sentence Errors: United Nations Peacekeeping Forces

The question asks us to find the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error. We need to examine each segment provided and determine if it follows standard English grammar rules.

The sentence is divided into four parts: "In many countries, the United Nations (a) / or other internationally organised (b) / peacekeeping forces are trying to keep the peace. (c) / No error (d)"

Analyzing the Sentence Segments

• Part (a): In many countries, the United Nations

  This segment introduces the setting and the first part of the compound subject, "the United Nations". The phrase "In many countries" is a standard prepositional phrase modifying the main clause. "the United Nations" is a proper noun referring to a specific international body. This part is grammatically correct.

• Part (b): or other internationally organised

  This segment connects the United Nations with other entities forming the compound subject and includes a descriptive phrase modifying "peacekeeping forces" which appears in part (c). The phrase is "internationally organised". Here, "internationally" is an adverb modifying "organised", which is a past participle used as an adjective describing the forces. While the structure (adverb + participle adjective) is grammatically valid in general, the specific combination "internationally organised" when immediately preceding "peacekeeping forces" can be considered less idiomatic or precise in standard English usage compared to alternative phrasings. It suggests that the way the forces were organised is international. However, phrases like "international peacekeeping forces" (emphasizing the nature of the forces) or "peacekeeping forces organised internationally" might be preferred for clarity or conventionality in describing forces established by international bodies. The slight awkwardness or less standard usage of "organised" in this exact phrase structure points to an error in this part.

• Part (c): peacekeeping forces are trying to keep the peace.

  This segment contains the noun phrase "peacekeeping forces" and the main verb phrase "are trying to keep the peace". "Peacekeeping forces" is a plural noun phrase. The verb "are trying" is in the present continuous tense and is plural, correctly agreeing with the plural subject ("the United Nations or other internationally organised peacekeeping forces", where the verb agrees with the closer or dominant plural part). "To keep the peace" is a standard English idiom. This part is grammatically correct.

• Part (d): No error

  This option suggests that the entire sentence is grammatically correct. Based on our analysis, there appears to be an issue in part (b).

Conclusion on Sentence Error

After analyzing each part, the most likely location of the grammatical error is in part (b), related to the specific phrasing "internationally organised" modifying "peacekeeping forces".

Revision Table: Analyzing Sentence Parts for Errors

Additional Information: Understanding Adverb-Participle Phrases

Phrases where an adverb modifies a participle used as an adjective are common and correct in English (e.g., "beautifully written", "highly respected"). The adverb clarifies how the action implied by the participle is performed or the degree of the quality. However, the effectiveness and naturalness of such phrases can depend heavily on the specific words combined and the context. In some cases, an alternative structure (like using a simple adjective or rephrasing the sentence) might be preferred for clarity or conciseness. Identifying errors in such constructions often involves recognizing phrasing that deviates from common, idiomatic usage in a specific context, even if the structure isn't universally incorrect.