The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. Whenever he is / on a holiday, / he travels by foot / to the temple nearby.
he travels by foot
Analysing the Sentence Segments for Grammatical Errors
The question asks us to identify the segment that contains a grammatical error in the given sentence: "Whenever he is / on a holiday, / he travels by foot / to the temple nearby." The sentence is split into four parts, and we need to examine each part for any issues related to grammar, usage, or structure.
Examining Each Sentence Segment
Let's look at each segment carefully:
- Segment 1: Whenever he is
This segment introduces a dependent clause indicating a condition or time frame. "Whenever" is correctly used as a conjunction here, and "he is" is a standard subject-verb structure. This segment appears grammatically correct.
- Segment 2: on a holiday,
This segment uses the phrase "on a holiday," which is a common and correct idiom in English to indicate being on vacation or time away from work/school. The comma after the phrase is also appropriate, separating the introductory clause from the main clause. This segment is grammatically correct.
- Segment 3: he travels by foot
This segment describes the method of travel. It contains the phrase "by foot". While "by" is used with modes of transport (like "by car", "by train", "by plane"), the correct preposition used with "foot" to indicate walking is "on". The standard idiom is "on foot". Therefore, "by foot" contains a grammatical error.
- Segment 4: to the temple nearby.
This segment indicates the destination and location of the temple. "To the temple" correctly uses the preposition "to" for direction towards a destination. "Nearby" is correctly used as an adjective or adverb modifying "temple" or the implied location. This segment is grammatically correct.
Identifying the Grammatical Error
Based on the analysis, the error lies in the third segment, "he travels by foot". The common and grammatically correct way to express travelling by walking is to use the phrase "on foot".
Correcting the Grammatical Error
To correct the grammatical error, the segment "he travels by foot" should be changed to "he travels on foot".
The corrected sentence would be: "Whenever he is on a holiday, he travels on foot to the temple nearby."
Therefore, the segment containing the grammatical error is "he travels by foot".
Revision Table: Prepositions with Modes of Transport
Understanding how to use prepositions correctly with different modes of transport is crucial for avoiding grammatical errors.
| Mode of Transport | Correct Preposition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | on | Go on foot |
| Bike, Motorcycle | on | Ride on a bike |
| Bus, Train, Plane, Ship, Boat (Public/Large) | by / on | Travel by bus / on the bus Travel by train / on the train |
| Car, Taxi | by / in | Travel by car / in a car Travel by taxi / in a taxi |
Additional Information: Idiomatic Expressions
Some phrases in English are idiomatic, meaning their meaning is not directly obvious from the individual words, and their structure is fixed. "On foot" is one such idiomatic expression for travelling by walking. Using a different preposition like "by" in this context, while logical based on other modes of transport, is not the accepted or correct form in standard English.
Paying attention to these fixed phrases and idioms is important for mastering English grammar and usage.
Important Questions from Error Spotting
Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
A honest mistake (a) / is no more than that; (b) / just an honest mistake. (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
A company of five thousand soldiers , (a) / having marched tirelessly for over five days , (b) / have just moved into their cantonment . (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
Every person who believes in principles (a) / must stand up to fight (b) / for their convictions . (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
The Olympic Games reflects(a) / the highest spirit of (b) / human endeavour and achievement . (c) / No error (d)Direction: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c) Read each sentence to determine whether there is an error in any underlined part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter, i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
The principal of the school (a) / stressed the need for discipline (b) / amongst the students. (c) / No error (d)
