Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is, mark 'E' as the answer.
For many centuries there was no city so famous like the city of Ujjain.
Answer: A
It should read as.
The construction is so ... as in a negative comparison - no city so famous as Ujjain. Like introduces a resemblance, not a degree, and cannot follow so.
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In the sentence below, a part is printed in bold. Choose the alternative that best replaces it. If no improvement is needed, choose ‘No correction required’.
He is capable to lead the team through this difficult phase.
Answer: C
Correct answer: capable of leading
Capable takes of followed by a gerund: capable of leading. It is never followed by an infinitive. The adjective it is confused with is able, which does take the infinitive: able to lead. Both sentences would be correct if the adjective were changed to match the construction, and it is the mismatch that is at fault rather than either word by itself. A group of adjectives takes of with a gerund in the same way, and the set is worth learning: afraid of failing, fond of reading, proud of winning, tired of waiting, ashamed of lying, confident of succeeding, desirous of joining and guilty of cheating. The rule beneath all of them is that a preposition is always followed by a gerund, never by an infinitive - which is why capable to leading fails too, treating the infinitive marker to as though it were a preposition.
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He is a singer of repute, but his yesterday's performance was quite disappointing.
Answer: E
No correction is required.
His yesterday's performance is acceptable - the possessive attaches to yesterday, and performance is singular, so was is right. Each alternative either drops the possessive or puts a plural verb with a singular noun.
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In the sentence below, a part is printed in bold. Choose the alternative that best replaces it. If no improvement is needed, choose ‘No correction required’.
He insisted to go with us despite the bad weather.
Answer: C
Correct answer: insisted on going
Insist takes the preposition on followed by a gerund: insisted on going. It is never followed by an infinitive. The rule behind it is general - a preposition is always followed by a gerund, never by an infinitive - which also disposes of insisted to going. A set of verbs takes a fixed preposition and a gerund in the same way: succeed in, persist in, refrain from, prevent from, object to, consist of, approve of, think of and congratulate on. So he succeeded in passing, she refrained from commenting. The alternative construction for insist uses a that clause with the subjunctive: he insisted that he go with us. What cannot be done is to attach a bare infinitive. Compare persuade and urge, which do take the infinitive - he urged us to go - showing that the pattern must be learned verb by verb.
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He has received no other message than an urgent telegram asking him to rush his village immediately.
Answer: C
It should read asking him to rush to his village.
Rush in this sense is intransitive and needs to before a destination - rush to the village. Asking is right as it stands, since the telegram is doing the asking.
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One of the most significant phenomenons of our time has been the development of cinema.
Answer: B
It should read phenomena.
Phenomenon is a Greek singular and its plural is phenomena, like criterion and criteria. Phenomenons is used only of exceptional people, and even then rarely.
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Had you been told me about your problem, I would have helped you.
Answer: C
It should read had you told.
Inverting had is the way to form a third conditional without if - had you told me is exactly if you had told me. Been cannot stand between had and told, and if you would have is never correct in the if-clause.
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It was until many years later that Gandhi became a rebel against authority.
Answer: A
It should read it was not until many years.
The idiom is it was not until X that Y - the negative is essential, since the sentence means Gandhi did not become a rebel for many years. Without not the sentence says the opposite of what it means.
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Anand has the guts to rise from the occasion and come out successfully.
Answer: C
It should read to rise to.
To rise to the occasion is the idiom - to meet a demand well. Rise from would mean to get up out of it, which is not the sense.
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If you are thinking about investing overseas, isn't it makes sense to find an experienced guide?
Answer: B
It should read doesn't it make.
A question with the auxiliary does keeps the main verb in the base form: doesn't it make sense. Isn't it makes puts two finite verbs together.
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