In this English grammar error-spotting question, you must identify the part of the sentence that contains an error in preposition usage in the sentence “They did nothing that was down the dignity of princes.” Choose the option that indicates the incorrect part.

Introduction / Context:
This question evaluates your ability to detect grammatical and idiomatic errors in a sentence. The sentence provided is “They did nothing that was down the dignity of princes,” and the parts are labelled so that you can indicate where the error lies. Such error-spotting questions are very common in competitive exams, and they often focus on correct preposition usage and idiomatic expressions in English.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sentence is divided as follows: (1) They did nothing (2) that was down the (3) dignity of princes. (4) No Error.
• The intended meaning is that their actions did not lower or insult the dignity appropriate to princes.
• The phrase “down the dignity” seems unusual and possibly incorrect in standard English.
• We assume standard British or international English usage.

Concept / Approach:
Idiomatic usage in English often employs specific prepositions with certain nouns and adjectives. The natural expression that conveys the idea of lowering someone's dignity is “beneath the dignity” rather than “down the dignity.” The preposition “beneath” is used to show that something is unworthy of someone's status or position. Therefore, the problem lies in the phrase “down the,” which should instead be “beneath the.” Identifying this incorrect preposition choice helps pinpoint the part containing the error.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence for overall meaning: it states that they did nothing that insulted or was unworthy of the dignity of princes.Step 2: Focus on the phrase “down the dignity,” which sounds unnatural.Step 3: Recall the correct idiomatic expression “beneath the dignity of,” used to mean “unworthy of someone's high status or position.”Step 4: Map the labelled parts and see that “that was down the” constitutes part (2).Step 5: Recognise that part (2) should instead include “that was beneath the” for correct usage.Step 6: Conclude that part (2) is where the error lies.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can rewrite the sentence with the corrected phrase: “They did nothing that was beneath the dignity of princes.” This version is idiomatic and clearly communicates that their actions were not improper or degrading for princes. No other part of the sentence requires correction. “They did nothing” is grammatically correct, and “dignity of princes” correctly expresses whose dignity is being referred to. Therefore the only error is in part (2), which contains the phrase “down the.”

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part (1), “They did nothing,” is correct as it stands and needs no modification. Part (3), “dignity of princes,” is a standard phrase meaning the dignity belonging to princes. Part (4) represents “No Error,” which would only be correct if the sentence had been entirely appropriate. Since we have clearly identified an idiomatic mistake in “down the,” choosing any of these parts as the error would be unjustified.

Common Pitfalls:
The most common pitfall in such questions is not being familiar with fixed expressions like “beneath the dignity of.” Learners might focus only on basic grammar and overlook idiomatic usage, leading them to think the sentence is fine. Another mistake is to suspect the more formal sounding portion “of princes” instead of the less obvious preposition error. To handle these questions well, it is important to read widely and pay attention to typical preposition patterns (for example, “beneath the dignity,” “worthy of,” “consistent with”), as these patterns often form the basis for error-spotting items.

Final Answer:
The error occurs in part 2, where “down the” should be replaced by “beneath the.”