In this English grammar error-spotting question on tense consistency and reported speech, identify which part of the sentence contains the error: "He said that it was the first time (A) that such a trick (B) is discovered. (C) No Error. (D)". Choose the option that marks the incorrect segment or select 'No Error' if the sentence is completely correct.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of tense consistency in reported speech, especially in sentences that use the expression "the first time". The sentence describes what someone said about the discovery of a trick. To answer correctly, you must align the tense of the subordinate clause with the past time reference introduced in the reporting clause and the phrase "the first time".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: "He said that it was the first time that such a trick is discovered."
• Part A: "He said that it was the first time"
• Part B: "that such a trick"
• Part C: "is discovered."
• Part D: indicates "No Error".
• The speaker is reporting a past statement about a discovery that has already occurred.

Concept / Approach:
In reported speech, when the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said"), verbs in the subordinate clauses usually shift back in time to maintain consistency, unless the statement describes a permanent truth. Furthermore, the phrase "it was the first time" normally calls for the past perfect tense or past perfect passive in the next clause, because we refer to an event that had not happened before that point in time. Therefore, after "it was the first time that...", we expect a structure like "such a trick had been discovered", not "is discovered".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Part A: "He said that it was the first time". The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, and "it was the first time" correctly matches this past perspective. Step 2: Examine Part B: "that such a trick". This segment simply introduces the noun phrase "such a trick" and is grammatically fine. Step 3: Examine Part C: "is discovered." Here, the verb "is discovered" is in the present passive form, which does not match the past time frame established by "He said" and "it was the first time". Step 4: For correct tense consistency, Part C should read "had been discovered", giving the full clause: "that such a trick had been discovered." Step 5: Therefore, Part C is the segment that contains the error.

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the entire sentence in correct form: "He said that it was the first time that such a trick had been discovered." This structure clearly shows that at that past moment, this discovery had never occurred before. Using "is discovered" suggests a present time frame and breaks the reported speech pattern. Comparing the two versions confirms that only Part C is inaccurate.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Part A: Correctly uses the past tense "said" and "was" to describe a past situation.
• Part B: Grammatically sound as a noun phrase; it simply introduces what kind of trick is being discussed.
• Part D (No Error): Cannot be chosen because Part C clearly violates tense consistency.
• Error in more than one part: Incorrect, as Parts A and B are acceptable in standard English.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often forget to shift tenses in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past, especially in complex sentences. Another frequent mistake is using simple present or simple past after phrases like "it was the first time". For events that had never occurred before a particular point, the past perfect ("had done", "had been discovered") is usually preferred. Practising similar structures such as "It was the first time he had travelled abroad" or "It was the first time they had met" helps reinforce this pattern.

Final Answer:
The error is in Part C: "is discovered."; the correct form is "had been discovered".