In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error in standard English usage. If she was marrying Mr. Gupta (1) / she would have been (2) / recognized as Mrs. Gupta. (3) / No Error (4).

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on correct tense and mood in conditional sentences. In competitive exams, it is very common to test whether you can distinguish between real, unreal and hypothetical conditions. The sentence given uses “If she was marrying Mr. Gupta...” and the exam expects you to recognise that this clause describes a hypothetical or unreal situation. For such conditions, standard formal English prefers “were” instead of “was” after “if”, especially with singular subjects like “she”.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The sentence is: “If she was marrying Mr. Gupta / she would have been / recognized as Mrs. Gupta.”
The subject is “she”, and the condition is introduced with “If”.
The main clause uses “would have been recognized”, indicating an unreal or imaginary situation in the past or contrary to fact.

Concept / Approach:
In English grammar, unreal or hypothetical conditions often use the past subjunctive form “were” after “if”, regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural. Examples include “If I were you” and “If she were here”. When the result clause uses “would have been”, we are in a counterfactual frame. The combination “If she were marrying Mr. Gupta, she would have been recognized as Mrs. Gupta” correctly expresses an unreal possibility. Therefore, the error lies in the use of “was” instead of “were”. Parts (2) and (3) are structurally acceptable for this kind of conditional sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the type of conditional: “If she was marrying Mr. Gupta, she would have been recognized as Mrs. Gupta.” Step 2: The use of “would have been” suggests an unreal or counterfactual situation. Step 3: In unreal conditions, formal English uses “were” after “if”, even with singular subjects. Step 4: Replace “was” with “were”: “If she were marrying Mr. Gupta, she would have been recognized as Mrs. Gupta.” Step 5: Check the remaining parts. “She would have been recognized as Mrs. Gupta” is a correct result clause. Step 6: Conclude that the error is in Part (1).

Verification / Alternative check:
You can compare with well-known patterns like “If she were my sister, I would help her” or “If he were here, he would speak”. These examples show the preferred use of “were” in hypothetical conditions. While “If she was...” sometimes appears in informal speech, exam standards expect the consistent use of “were” for an unreal present or past condition. Therefore, the grammatically best and exam-ready version is “If she were marrying Mr. Gupta, she would have been recognized as Mrs. Gupta.” This confirms that Part (1) is incorrect.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part (2) “she would have been” correctly matches the standard pattern of an unreal condition (if-clause with past subjunctive, result clause with “would have”).
Part (3) “recognized as Mrs. Gupta” is clear and grammatically sound, expressing the expected social consequence of the hypothetical marriage.
“No Error” cannot be right because the question is designed to test your knowledge of the subjunctive “were” after “if”.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners accept “If she was...” because it is frequently heard in everyday speech. However, in formal written English, especially in exams, “If she were...” is the preferred and more correct structure for unreal or imaginary situations. Another mistake is to think that only “I” and “he” can take “were” after “if”, but in reality the subjunctive form “were” is used with all subjects in such conditions. Keeping this rule in mind will help you solve many error-spotting questions that involve hypothetical statements.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: 1.