9.Correction of Sentences - Modifiers

Model-1

Wrong Question:

Having lost a fortune in the stock market, he does not have some money to invest.

Why?

‘Some’ is used in positive or affirmative sentences. ‘Any’ is used in ‘negative’ and ‘interrogative’ sentences. The above one is a negative sentence. So, ‘any’ is used instead of ‘some’.

Right Question:

Having lost a fortune in the stock market, he does not have any money to invest.

8.Correction of Sentences - Conjunctions

Model-1

Wrong Sentence:

Raja had scarcely put the phone down than the doorbell rang.

Why?

This sentence is not properly constructed. ‘Scarcely’ should be followed by ‘when’ but not ‘than’. Moreover, when two actions in the past follow one another, one should be in past perfect and the other in simple past. This part is correct in this sentence.

Right Sentence:

Raja had scarcely put the phone down when the doorbell rang.

7.Correction of Sentences - Prepositions

Model-1

Wrong Sentence:

Of late, I have done a project in Mahatma Gandhi Road in Bengaluru.

Why?

Before specific places in a town, city or community and for specific addresses preposition ‘at’ is used, not ‘in’.

Right Sentence :

Of late, I have done a project at Mahatma Gandhi Road in Bengaluru.

6.Correction of Sentences - Pronouns

Model-1

Wrong Sentence:

One should always respect his or her country.

Why?

The usage of pronouns has to be consistent in terms of gender and number. Special attention is needed in case of indefinite pronouns.

Right Sentence:

One should always respect one’s country

5.Correction of Sentences -Nouns

Model-1

Wrong Sentence:

Indian general elections are due to be held in 2019, in the time of two years.

Why?

For nouns such as day, week, month, year or decade that indicate time, the possessive form should be used. We can also do away with the redundant word ‘time’.

Right Sentence:

Indian general elections are due to be held in 2019, in two years’ time.

4.Correction of sentences : Verb-Tense Agreement

MODEL 1

Wrong Sentence:

If I was the chief minister, I would eradicate corruption in the state.

Why?

In imaginary situations where there is an ‘if clause’, the verb should always be ‘were’ and not ‘was’

Right Sentence:

If I were the chief minister, I would eradicate corruption in the state.

3.Choosing the correct sentences

INSTRUCTIONS

• Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. 
• The error, if any, will be in one or more sentences.
•  Then choose the sentence(s) without error as your answer. 
• If there is an error in all the sentences, then your answer choice is E. (Ignore the punctuation errors, if any.)