In the following sentence, one numbered part may have an error, or the sentence may be fully correct. Choose the number of the part that has an error, or choose option (4) for No Error. Sentence: Stringent penalties have a lower chance (1) / of being imposed, as compared to fines that (2) / are proportionate to the offence. (3)

Introduction / Context:
This item assesses correct noun usage in a legal context. It contrasts stringent penalties with fines that are proportionate to the offence. In the stored question, the phrase used was proportionate to the offend, which is wrong because offend is a verb, not a noun. Learners must recognise the need for the noun offence in this position.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sentence is divided into three numbered parts plus a No Error option.
• Part (1) states that stringent penalties have a lower chance.
• Part (2) continues with of being imposed, as compared to fines that.
• Part (3) ends with are proportionate to the offence.

Concept / Approach:
The main concept is distinguishing between verb and noun forms. The verb offend means to commit an offence, while offence is the noun that refers to the wrongful act itself. Legal writing typically uses the phrase proportionate to the offence when describing fines that match the seriousness of the wrongdoing. The stored text had offend instead of offence, so the error lies in part (3).

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read part (1): Stringent penalties have a lower chance. This sets up a comparison and is grammatically correct.Step 2: Read part (2): of being imposed, as compared to fines that. This part correctly shows that such penalties are less likely to be applied than certain fines.Step 3: Read part (3) in the stored form: are proportionate to the offend. Here, offend appears as a noun, but in English it is a verb form.Step 4: Recall that the correct noun is offence, which names the unlawful act.Step 5: Replace offend with offence and see that the phrase are proportionate to the offence now makes legal sense.Step 6: Conclude that part (3) contains the error and must be corrected.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can compare with common collocations used in laws and judgments: punishment must be proportionate to the offence, fines proportionate to the severity of the offence, and so on. None of these use the verb offend in that position. Another check is to ask whether the word could take an article like the. We can say the offence, but not the offend. This confirms that the original stored phrase was incorrect, and part (3) is where the error lies.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option 1: Part (1) is grammatically correct and correctly uses the plural subject penalties with have.Option 2: Part (2) is also correct, using the passive being imposed and the comparative phrase as compared to fines that.Option 4: Since part (3) originally used the wrong form of the word, the sentence is not error free, so No Error cannot be chosen.

Common Pitfalls:
In fast reading, learners may overlook the small difference between offend and offence, especially if they are more familiar with the verb form. Another pitfall is focusing on the complex phrase stringent penalties and ignoring the straightforward collocation proportionate to the offence. Being alert to verb versus noun distinctions is essential in legal and formal English contexts.

Final Answer:
The wrong word form appears in the third part, so the correct option is 3.