The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. The burning of / fossil fuels is / causing pollution / in recent time.
Identifying Grammatical Errors in Sentences
The question asks us to identify the segment that contains a grammatical error in the following sentence, which is split into four parts:
The burning of / fossil fuels is / causing pollution / in recent time.
Let's examine each segment carefully to determine its grammatical correctness.
Analyzing the Sentence Segments
Segment 1: The burning of
This segment acts as the beginning of the subject of the sentence. The phrase "The burning of" is a gerund phrase, with "burning" acting as a noun. This structure is perfectly acceptable in English grammar to form a subject indicating an action. Therefore, this segment does not contain a grammatical error.
Segment 2: fossil fuels is
In this segment, "fossil fuels" is part of the prepositional phrase modifying the gerund subject "burning". The subject of the sentence is "The burning of fossil fuels". The head noun of this subject phrase is "burning", which is singular. The verb that follows must agree with the singular subject "burning". The verb used here is "is", which is the singular form of the verb "to be" in the present tense. Thus, the subject-verb agreement is correct ("burning is"). This segment is grammatically correct.
Segment 3: causing pollution
This segment completes the main verb phrase ("is causing"). This uses the present participle "causing" with the auxiliary verb "is" from the previous segment, forming the present continuous tense ("is causing"). This tense is used to describe an ongoing action, which fits the context of pollution being caused by burning fossil fuels. This segment is grammatically correct.
Segment 4: in recent time
This segment is a time phrase intended to indicate a period stretching from the recent past up to the present. However, the phrase "in recent time" is not the standard or correct idiomatic expression in English. The commonly accepted and grammatically correct phrase for this context is "in recent times" (using the plural form of 'time') or simply the adverb "recently". Using "time" in the singular in this specific phrase constitutes a grammatical error.
Conclusion: Identifying the Grammatical Error
Based on the analysis of each segment, the segment that contains the grammatical error is "in recent time". The phrase should be "in recent times" or "recently" to be grammatically correct and idiomatic.
Revision Table: Correcting Time Phrases
| Incorrect Phrase | Correct Phrase(s) | Explanation / Example |
|---|---|---|
| in recent time | in recent times, recently | Used to refer to a period from the recent past until now. Example: The climate has changed significantly in recent times. |
| at current | currently, at present | Used to indicate something happening now. Example: The system is offline currently. |
| in past | in the past | Refers to any time before the present. Example: Things were different in the past. |
Additional Information: Understanding Idiomatic Expressions
Idiomatic expressions are phrases or words whose meaning is not literal and cannot be easily understood from the individual words. "In recent times" is an example of such a fixed expression or idiom. Using the singular "time" instead of the plural "times" in this specific phrase makes it sound incorrect to native speakers and is considered a grammatical error.
- Learning common idiomatic phrases is important for mastering English grammar and usage.
- Context is key when choosing the correct time expression. "Time" can be singular or plural in other contexts, but "in recent times" is the established form for this specific meaning.
- Mistakes with idioms and fixed phrases are common and require memorization and practice.
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)
