Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error or errors in any…
2023
Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error or errors in any underlined part(s). If there is no error in a sentence, select ‘None of the above’.
He talked as if he was a mad.
Answer: C. was a mad. — ConceptThe indefinite article a/an introduces a singular countable noun phrase. An adjective can describe a noun or serve as a subject complement after a…
- A.
He talked
- B.
as if he
- C.
was a mad.
- D.
More than one of the above
- E.
None of the above
Attempted by 8 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
The indefinite article a/an introduces a singular countable noun phrase. An adjective can describe a noun or serve as a subject complement after a linking verb; it does not normally take a/an by itself.
Application
In ‘was a mad’, mad is an adjective placed after the article a without a following countable noun. The clause can be written as ‘he was mad’ or, with a noun, ‘he was a madman’.
Contrast
‘He talked’ has a subject and a simple-past verb, and talk can be used intransitively.
‘As if he’ begins a comparison clause with its subject.
‘More than one of the above’ would require errors in at least two underlined segments.
‘None of the above’ would require every underlined segment to be error-free.
Result
The error is in ‘was a mad.’ It should be ‘was mad’ or ‘was a madman’.