In this English grammar error-spotting question, identify the part of the sentence that contains an error in the sentence "I waited for you but you never turned up." If there is no error, choose the "No Error" option.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This is an English grammar error detection question. The sentence I waited for you but you never turned up is divided into parts, and you must decide whether any part contains a grammatical or idiomatic mistake. If every part is correct according to standard English usage, the answer should be the No Error option.


Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentence is broken into:

  • Part A: I waited for you
  • Part B: but you never
  • Part C: turned up.
  • Part D: No Error

We assume standard conversational and written English.


Concept / Approach:
The sentence describes a past action and uses a common phrasal verb turned up, meaning appeared or arrived. The structure I waited for you but you never turned up is a normal way to express disappointment about someone not coming. The task is to check subject verb agreement, tense consistency, preposition usage, and idiomatic phrasal verbs. If all elements are correct, there is no grammatical error.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Part A, I waited for you. The verb waited is in simple past tense, which is correct for a completed action, and the preposition for is correctly used to show that the speaker spent time expecting the listener. Step 2: Examine Part B, but you never. This portion introduces contrast using but and the adverb never, preparing for the completion of the clause. It is structurally sound and sets up the next verb phrase. Step 3: Examine Part C, turned up. Turned up is a phrasal verb meaning arrived or appeared. In past tense, you never turned up is a perfectly natural phrase. Step 4: Combine the parts: I waited for you but you never turned up. The sentence as a whole is grammatically correct, idiomatic, and complete. Step 5: Since none of the three content parts show error, the correct choice must be Part D, No Error.


Verification / Alternative check:
We can rephrase the sentence slightly: I waited for you, but you did not come. This is clearly correct. The original sentence uses the more informal and idiomatic turned up instead of came, which is acceptable in both speech and many forms of writing. There is no mismatch of tenses, and the conjunction but is correctly used to join two clauses.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Choosing Part A as the error would wrongly suggest that waited for you is incorrect, but it is a standard phrase. Part B is also correct because the use of never with a past tense verb is common and accurate. Part C is correct because turned up is a valid phrasal verb in past tense. Therefore, marking any of A, B, or C as erroneous would be unjustified. Only D, No Error, correctly reflects that the sentence is fine.


Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes suspect an error just because a phrasal verb like turned up sounds slightly informal. Others think that never must be replaced with not, but both are acceptable here. Overthinking can lead to falsely detecting an error where none exists. In error-spotting questions, always check whether the sentence genuinely violates a grammar rule before rejecting the No Error option.


Final Answer:
The sentence has no grammatical mistake, so the correct choice is D (No Error).

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