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Question

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.

The recruiters / were pleased / to John’s / domain knowledge and personality.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2020 Tier-II (English) Previous Year Paper (29-Jan-2022)
The correct answer is

to John’s

Understanding Sentence Structure and Grammar Errors

The question asks us to identify the part of the given sentence that contains a grammatical error. The sentence is divided into four parts:

The recruiters / were pleased / to John’s / domain knowledge and personality.

Let's examine each part to determine if it is grammatically correct in the context of the sentence.

Analyzing Each Part of the Sentence

  • Part 1: The recruiters
    This is the subject of the sentence, a plural noun phrase. This part is grammatically correct.
  • Part 2: were pleased
    This is the verb phrase, using the past tense of "be" and the adjective "pleased". This structure is common and grammatically correct. The error, if any, would likely involve the preposition that follows "pleased".
  • Part 3: to John’s
    This part includes a preposition "to" followed by a possessive noun phrase "John's". We need to consider if "pleased to" is the correct phrase to introduce what someone is pleased about or with.
  • Part 4: domain knowledge and personality
    This is a noun phrase describing what John possesses. This part appears grammatically correct in itself. The error would depend on how it connects to the preceding part.

Identifying the Grammatical Error: Preposition Usage with 'Pleased'

The error lies in the use of the preposition "to" after the word "pleased". The phrase "pleased to" is typically used when followed by an infinitive verb (e.g., "pleased to meet you", "pleased to announce").

When expressing what someone is pleased *about* or *with*, the preposition "with" is generally used, especially when followed by a noun or noun phrase describing the object of satisfaction.

  • Correct usage examples:
    • Pleased with the results.
    • Pleased with his performance.
    • Pleased with John’s domain knowledge.
  • Incorrect usage example:
    • Pleased to the results.

In the given sentence, the recruiters are pleased *about* or *with* John's domain knowledge and personality. Therefore, the preposition should be "with", not "to". The phrase "to John's" should be "with John's".

Conclusion: The Incorrect Part

Based on the analysis of preposition usage with "pleased", the part that contains the error is "to John’s". It should be "with John’s".

Revision Table: Correcting the Sentence

Original Part Error Type Correction
to John’s Incorrect Preposition with John’s

The corrected sentence would be: "The recruiters were pleased with John’s domain knowledge and personality."

Additional Information: Common Preposition Errors

Mistakes with prepositions are very common in English. Here are a few key points to remember:

  • Prepositions often depend on the preceding word (verb, adjective, or noun).
  • Some words require specific prepositions (e.g., "depend on", "fond of", "aware of", "interested in").
  • Using the wrong preposition can change the meaning of a sentence or make it grammatically incorrect.
  • Learning common verb + preposition and adjective + preposition combinations is helpful.

Understanding the nuances of prepositions like 'to', 'with', 'at', 'in', 'on', 'for', etc., is crucial for accurate sentence construction.

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Important Questions from Error Spotting

  1. 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).

    It is identification with the audience(a)that makes one come home from the play so much more(b)satisfied than one ever is after merely passive enjoyment of the show.(c) No error.(d)

  2. The following question has a sentence with four parts labelled (a), (b), (c), and (d). Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in any 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).

    CV Raman was one of the greatest sons of India (a) who has earned everlasting fame (b) for scientific researches. (c) No error. (d)

  3. 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).

    This box(a)is heavy than(b) the other one.(c) No error. (d)

  4. 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).

    Thewriter does not have the freedom (a) to choose his own themes, (b) society thrusts them on him (c) No error. (d)

  5. The following question has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is an 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).

    No one knows (a) why he did it, (b) or who was behind his doing it.(c) No error. (d)

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