Identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error in Due to me being new to the city, I had difficulty in finding a job.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question checks your understanding of formal sentence structure and correct use of prepositions and subjects in English. The sentence is divided into parts: Due to me being new, to the city, I had, difficulty in finding a job. The test asks you to identify which part contains a grammatical or usage error. Such questions are common in competitive examinations because they force you to examine each phrase carefully rather than reading only for overall meaning.


Given Data / Assumptions:

    The full sentence is Due to me being new to the city, I had difficulty in finding a job.
    Part A is Due to me being new.
    Part B is to the city, I had.
    Part C is difficulty in finding a job.
    Part D is No error.
    The intended meaning is Because I was new to the city, I had difficulty finding a job.


Concept / Approach:
The main issue lies in the phrase Due to me being new. In standard English, due to is usually used after a form of the verb be and functions like an adjective phrase, as in His unemployment was due to illness. When we want to introduce a subordinate clause of reason at the beginning of a sentence, a better choice is because or since. Also, the structure me being new is informal and awkward in formal written English. A more natural and grammatically sound version is Because I was new to the city, I had difficulty finding a job. Parts B and C, once the beginning has been corrected, are acceptable. Therefore, the error is located in part A.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence for overall sense: the speaker is explaining why it was hard to find a job. Step 2: Examine part A Due to me being new and notice the combination of due to with a clause like me being new, which is more conversational than formal. Step 3: Recall that for clauses of reason at the start of a sentence, because or since plus subject plus verb is preferred in formal writing. Step 4: Mentally rewrite the sentence as Because I was new to the city, I had difficulty in finding a job and confirm that the problem disappears when part A is changed. Step 5: Check parts B and C and see that to the city and difficulty in finding a job are acceptable collocations in formal English, so there is no error there.


Verification / Alternative check:
Compare several possibilities. Due to me being new to the city sounds clumsy and slightly ungrammatical. Because I was new to the city is clear, formal, and accurate. If we tried to keep due to, we would need a different structure, such as My difficulty in finding a job was due to my being new to the city. That structure would move due to into the middle of the sentence and require a noun phrase before it. Since the original sentence uses due to at the start as if it were a conjunction, part A clearly needs correction. This confirms that the error lies in section A, not in the rest of the sentence.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B to the city, I had correctly completes the clause when combined with a corrected beginning and simply states where the speaker was new. Option C difficulty in finding a job is a common phrase and grammatically acceptable, so there is no need to change it. Option D No error would be chosen only if all parts were correct, but part A clearly contains a usage issue with due to and me being new.


Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to accept constructions that are common in speech but not ideal in formal writing, such as due to me being instead of because I was. Students also tend to overlook subtle differences between due to and because of, treating them as complete synonyms. In exam contexts, you should be particularly alert when you see due to at the beginning of a sentence. Ask whether it is linked to a form of be and a noun phrase or whether it is incorrectly being used like a conjunction. This habit will help you identify similar errors quickly.


Final Answer:
A

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