Read the following sentence and identify the part that contains an error, or select "No error" if the sentence is correct: "Being a rainy day, we did not feel like going out or doing anything except playing chess in our room."

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: Being a rainy day

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question focuses on the correct use of participial phrases in English. The sentence begins with "Being a rainy day", which appears to describe the subject of the sentence. However, the subject that follows is "we", and "we" cannot logically be "a rainy day". This creates what is called a dangling participle, a common error in written English.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Full sentence: "Being a rainy day, we did not feel like going out or doing anything except playing chess in our room."
  • Parts: (a) Being a rainy day, (b) we did not feel like going out or doing anything, (c) except playing chess in our room., (d) No error.
  • The intended meaning is that because it was a rainy day, the speakers stayed inside and played chess.


Concept / Approach:
A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence (such as "Being a rainy day") is supposed to describe the subject that comes immediately after it. In the given sentence, the subject is "we". The phrase would then literally mean "We, being a rainy day, did not feel like going out", which is illogical. To correct this, we should say "It being a rainy day..." or "As it was a rainy day...". Therefore, the error lies in part (a), where the participial phrase lacks a proper logical subject.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Look at part (a): "Being a rainy day". Ask which noun this phrase is describing.Step 2: The next noun or pronoun in the sentence is "we" (part b), so the phrase appears to describe "we". But "we" cannot be "a rainy day".Step 3: Recognise this as a dangling participle—where the participial phrase does not logically match the subject that follows.Step 4: Parts (b) and (c) ("we did not feel like going out or doing anything except playing chess in our room") are correct and clearly express the intended action.Step 5: Therefore, the error is in part (a) only. A corrected version would be: "It being a rainy day, we did not feel like going out..." or "As it was a rainy day, we did not feel like going out..."


Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence correctly: "As it was a rainy day, we did not feel like going out or doing anything except playing chess in our room." Now the subject "it" clearly refers to the weather or the day, and there is no confusion. If we keep "Being a rainy day" without "it", the logical subject is missing, and the phrase connects wrongly to "we". This confirms that part (a) is the flawed segment.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part (b) "we did not feel like going out or doing anything" is grammatically correct and natural. Part (c) "except playing chess in our room." correctly completes the idea by giving the one activity they did. Option (d) "No error" cannot be chosen because there is a clear structural problem in part (a).


Common Pitfalls:
Many learners are not sensitive to dangling participles because these constructions are sometimes heard in casual speech. However, formal written English expects clear connections between introductory phrases and subjects. A helpful habit is to mentally ask, "Who is doing the -ing action?" after a participial phrase. If the answer is not the subject that follows, there is a dangling modifier. Recognising this quickly will help you score better in grammar and error spotting questions.


Final Answer:
The error is in part "Being a rainy day", which should be rephrased to avoid a dangling participle.

More Questions from English

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion