The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options. Four of earliest civilisations / of the world / were located / on the banks of or near large rivers.
Four of earliest civilisations
Understanding the Grammar Error in the Sentence
The question asks us to identify the part of the given sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is divided into four parts:
- Four of earliest civilisations
- of the world
- were located
- on the banks of or near large rivers.
We need to examine each part to find the mistake.
Analyzing Each Part of the Sentence
Let's look closely at each segment:
- Part 1: Four of earliest civilisations
This part discusses "earliest civilisations". When we talk about a specific number or group out of the "earliest" (which is a superlative form of the adjective 'early') items from a set, we usually use "of the" before the superlative adjective. For example, "one of the best", "some of the largest". In this case, "earliest civilisations" refers to the civilisations that existed first. When selecting "Four" from this group using "of", the definite article 'the' is required before 'earliest'. So, the correct phrasing should be "Four of the earliest civilisations". This part seems to contain an error. - Part 2: of the world
This phrase modifies "civilisations" and is grammatically correct in this context, specifying the scope (civilisations belonging to the world). - Part 3: were located on the banks of
"were located" is the correct passive voice verb form for a plural subject ("civilisations"). "on the banks of" is a standard prepositional phrase used to indicate location next to a river. This part appears grammatically sound. - Part 4: or near large rivers
This part continues the description of the location, offering an alternative ("near large rivers") connected by the conjunction "or". This structure is grammatically correct and logical in the sentence.
Identifying the Part with the Error
Based on our analysis, the first part, "Four of earliest civilisations", is missing the definite article 'the' before the superlative adjective 'earliest'. The correct structure when using "of" with a superlative adjective followed by a plural noun is typically "of + the + superlative adjective + plural noun".
Therefore, the part containing the error is "Four of earliest civilisations".
Correcting the Sentence
The corrected sentence would read: "Four of the earliest civilisations of the world were located on the banks of or near large rivers."
| Part | Text | Contains Error? | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Four of earliest civilisations | Yes | Missing 'the' before 'earliest'. |
| 2 | of the world | No | Grammatically correct. |
| 3 | were located on the banks of | No | Grammatically correct verb and phrase. |
| 4 | or near large rivers | No | Grammatically correct phrase and conjunction. |
The option corresponding to the incorrect part is "Four of earliest civilisations".
Revision Table: Sentence Grammar Error Analysis
| Grammar Concept | Rule | Example from Sentence | Correct Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles with Superlatives (using 'of') | When using "of" to select from a group described by a superlative, use "of the" before the superlative adjective and plural noun. | "Four of earliest civilisations" | "Four of the earliest civilisations" |
Additional Information: Using 'the' with Superlatives
The definite article 'the' is almost always used before a superlative adjective. Superlative adjectives are used to describe an item that is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (e.g., tallest, smallest, fastest, earliest, latest).
- Rule: Use 'the' before a superlative adjective.
- Example: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
When you use a structure like "one of...", "some of...", "four of...", etc., followed by a superlative adjective and a plural noun, you are picking one or more items from a specific group that is the "most" or "least" in some quality. In this construction, 'the' is essential.
- Correct Structure: [Number/Quantifier] of the + superlative adjective + plural noun.
- Examples:
- One of the best books I have read.
- Some of the most interesting facts.
- Five of the largest cities in the country.
- Four of the earliest civilisations (as in our sentence).
Failing to include 'the' in this context is a common grammatical error involving articles and superlative adjectives.
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