Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: he was left
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question focuses on verb form and meaning. The sentence tries to express that by the time "we" reached his house, he had already gone to the airport. However, the phrase "he was left for the airport" is incorrect and confusing. Your task is to identify which part contains the error.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The problem lies in part (b): "he was left". In English, "was left" usually means "was abandoned" or "was not taken along". That meaning does not fit here. The sentence should say "he had left" to indicate that he had already departed before we arrived. Therefore, the error is an incorrect verb form that changes the meaning of the sentence.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine part (a): "Although we reached his house on time". This is grammatically correct and sets up a contrast.Step 2: Examine part (b): "he was left". This suggests he was abandoned, which does not make sense in context.Step 3: The correct expression for someone having already gone is "he had left".Step 4: Part (c): "for the airport." correctly indicates his destination.Step 5: Therefore, the error is in part (b), where "was left" should be replaced by "had left".
Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence correctly: "Although we reached his house on time, he had left for the airport." This clearly states that our arrival was on time, but he was already gone. Now the meaning matches real-world logic: we came on time, but he had already departed. The original version "he was left for the airport" does not communicate this and sounds as though someone left him there, which is not intended.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part (a) is grammatically sound, with "Although" correctly used as a subordinating conjunction. Part (c) simply indicates destination and is correct. Option (d) "No error" is incorrect, because the verb phrase in part (b) clearly does not fit the intended meaning and tense relationship.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes pay too much attention to prepositions like "for the airport" and overlook the key verb error. Another common issue is confusion between passive "was left" and past perfect "had left". A good strategy is to check whether the sentence correctly expresses the time relationship between actions. Here, one action (our reaching his house) is in the simple past, and the earlier action (his departure) needs to be in the past perfect: "had left". Recognising such patterns will help you choose the correct part with the error.
Final Answer:
The error is in part "he was left", which should be "he had left".
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