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The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).

You will be(a) answerable for the court with(b) any lies you have told .  (c)  No error.  (d)

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2018 Elementary Mathematics Previous Year Paper (04-Feb-2018)
The correct answer is

B

Analyzing the Sentence for Grammatical Errors

The question asks us to identify any grammatical errors in the given sentence, which is divided into three underlined parts: (a), (b), and (c). We need to examine each part to find the error, if any.

The sentence is: You will be(a) answerable for the court with(b) any lies you have told(c). No error. (d)

Step-by-Step Analysis of Each Part

Part (a): "You will be"

This part of the sentence uses the future tense of the verb "to be". "You" is the subject, and "will be" is the verb phrase. This structure is grammatically correct and fits the context of a future consequence for actions.

Part (b): "answerable for the court with"

This part contains the word "answerable". The word "answerable" means responsible or accountable. It is typically followed by prepositions that indicate to whom you are answerable and for what you are answerable.

  • When indicating to whom you are answerable (an authority or person), the correct preposition is usually "to". For example, "You are answerable to your boss." or "He is answerable to the committee."
  • When indicating for what you are answerable (a reason, action, or consequence), the correct preposition is usually "for". For example, "You are answerable for your mistakes." or "She was answerable for the delay."

In the given sentence part (b), "the court" is an authority to whom one would be answerable. Therefore, the preposition following "answerable" should be "to", not "for". The phrase should be "answerable to the court".

Furthermore, the use of "with" after "the court" is incorrect in this context. The correct structure relating the authority and the reason would be "answerable to [authority] for [reason/action]".

So, the intended meaning likely requires the structure "answerable to the court for any lies you have told". The current phrasing "answerable for the court with" contains errors in preposition usage.

Part (c): "any lies you have told"

This part specifies what the person is answerable for. "any lies" is the object, and "you have told" is a relative clause modifying "lies", indicating which specific lies are being referred to. This structure is grammatically correct.

Identifying the Error

Based on the analysis, part (b) contains errors in the use of prepositions with the word "answerable". The correct usage should be "answerable to [authority] for [reason]".

The phrase "answerable for the court with" is grammatically incorrect. The preposition should be "to" when referring to "the court" as the authority.

Therefore, the error lies in part (b).

Part Phrase Analysis Error?
(a) You will be Correct future tense structure. No
(b) answerable for the court with Incorrect prepositions used with "answerable". Should likely be "answerable to the court for". Yes
(c) any lies you have told Correct phrasing for the action/reason. No
(d) No error There is an error in part (b). No (Option is incorrect)

Conclusion

The grammatical error is found in part (b) due to the incorrect use of prepositions "for" and "with" after "answerable" when referring to the authority ("the court") and the reason ("any lies you have told"). The correct phrasing would involve "answerable to... for...".

Revision Table: Key Concepts Reviewed

Concept Explanation Relevance to Question
Preposition Usage Words like 'to', 'for', 'with' that show relationships between nouns/pronouns and other words. Identifying the correct prepositions ('to' and 'for') used with the adjective 'answerable'.
Adjective 'Answerable' Meaning accountable or responsible. Requires specific prepositions depending on context (to whom, for what). Central word whose usage with prepositions is tested.
Sentence Structure How words and phrases are arranged to form a grammatically correct sentence. Analyzing the structure involving 'will be answerable' and the subsequent phrases.

Additional Information: Mastering Prepositions with Adjectives

Many adjectives require specific prepositions to complete their meaning. Understanding these common pairings is crucial for improving sentence correction skills in English grammar.

  • Answerable to (a person or authority)
  • Answerable for (a mistake, action, or consequence)
  • Responsible for (a task, duty, or outcome)
  • Responsible to (a person or group in authority)
  • Afraid of (something/someone)
  • Aware of (something)
  • Dependent on/upon (something/someone)
  • Fond of (something/someone)
  • Good at (an activity or skill)
  • Interested in (something)
  • Keen on (something or doing something)
  • Similar to (something/someone else)

Paying attention to these adjective-preposition combinations will help in identifying and correcting errors in sentences like the one presented.

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