In the following question, some part of the sentence may have an error. Read the sentence carefully and choose the part that contains an error. If the sentence is free from error, select "No Error". He turned and walked / away, his head nearly a / foot up the others. / No Error

Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question tests your understanding of correct prepositional phrases in English, especially those used to compare relative height or level. The sentence is trying to say that his head was higher than the heads of others. However, the phrase used, "a foot up the others", is grammatically and idiomatically wrong. You must identify which part of the sentence contains this incorrect expression.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The full sentence is divided into four parts for analysis.
• Part 1: "He turned and walked"
• Part 2: "away, his head nearly a"
• Part 3: "foot up the others."
• Part 4: "No Error"
• The intended meaning is that his head was almost a foot higher than the heads of the others.

Concept / Approach:
When we talk about one thing being physically higher than another by a certain measure, we usually use the preposition "above" or "higher than", not "up". Correct constructions include "a foot above the others" and "a foot higher than the others". The phrase "up the others" is incorrect in standard English; it sounds incomplete and ungrammatical. Therefore, the error lies in the third segment of the sentence, where the wrong preposition is used.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence as a whole to understand the intended sense: his head is noticeably higher than the others.Step 2: Check part 1, "He turned and walked" – this is a correct and complete clause.Step 3: Check part 2, "away, his head nearly a" – this prepares for a measurement and does not contain an error by itself.Step 4: Focus on part 3, "foot up the others." Here, "up" is used where "above" or "higher than" is expected.Step 5: Recognise that the correct phrase should be "a foot above the others" or "a foot higher than the others." Hence, the error is in part 3.

Verification / Alternative check:
Try rewriting the sentence correctly: "He turned and walked away, his head nearly a foot above the others." Now read each part again. Parts 1 and 2 remain unchanged, but part 3 is corrected. This confirms that the logical and grammatical problem is in the phrase "foot up the others", which is not standard English. The rest of the sentence follows normal structure and does not require change.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "He turned and walked", is a perfectly normal past tense description of movement. Option B, "away, his head nearly a", correctly introduces the idea of a measurement ("a foot"). Option D, "No Error", cannot be correct because we have clearly identified a faulty preposition in part 3. Only option C contains the specific phrase "foot up the others.", where "up" is wrong and must be replaced by "above" or "higher than".

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may overlook the small preposition "up" because they focus more on verbs and nouns. Others may mistakenly believe that "up" is acceptable in casual speech when describing height. However, in formal and exam standard English, comparative height is expressed with "above" or "higher than". To avoid such errors, pay special attention to prepositions whenever measurements or comparisons are involved.

Final Answer:
The incorrect part is "foot up the others." in segment 3, which should be changed to "a foot above the others."