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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: If you had (1) told me earlier (2) I will help you. (3) No Error (4).

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:

This error spotting question tests your understanding of conditional sentences in English, especially the third conditional, which talks about unreal past situations and their imaginary results. The sentence uses If you had told me earlier, which is a past perfect conditional clause. The main clause must use an appropriate form to match this unreal past condition.


Given Data / Assumptions:

- Sentence: If you had (1) told me earlier (2) I will help you. (3) No Error (4). - Part 1: If you had. - Part 2: told me earlier. - Part 3: I will help you. - Part 4: No Error (answer choice indicating no mistake).


Concept / Approach:

Third conditional sentences describe unreal past conditions and their hypothetical past results, using the structure If plus past perfect in the if clause and would have plus past participle in the main clause. For example, If you had told me earlier, I would have helped you. In this question, the if clause is correctly formed with had told, but the main clause uses will help, which is a future form and does not match the unreal past meaning. Therefore, the error lies in part 3.


Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Examine the if clause: If you had told me earlier. This uses past perfect had told, which is correct for an unreal past condition. 2. Notice that this structure implies the action did not actually happen earlier. 3. Check the main clause: I will help you. This suggests a future intention and breaks the logical connection with an unreal past. 4. The correct matching clause should be I would have helped you or I would help you, depending on whether we want a past or present consequence. 5. In standard third conditional form, the full corrected sentence would be If you had told me earlier, I would have helped you. 6. Since the wrong part is in segment 3, the error is in option C (3).


Verification / Alternative check:

Consider all four parts. Part 1 If you had and part 2 told me earlier together are grammatically correct and form a complete conditional clause. There is no issue with tense or word order. Part 3 I will help you, however, violates the usual pairing of tenses in conditionals. Replacing it with I would have helped you aligns perfectly with the condition in past perfect. Therefore, the mistake is isolated to part 3, confirming that option C is correct.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Part 1: If you had is the expected opening for a third conditional clause and is correct. Part 2: told me earlier is grammatically correct and fits well with If you had. Part 4: No error is not the correct answer because we have identified a clear mistake in part 3.


Common Pitfalls:

Candidates sometimes mix type two and type three conditionals, for example using If you had told me, I would help you, which also sounds odd. The safest method is to remember the standard combinations: If plus past simple with would plus base form for unreal present or future, and If plus past perfect with would have plus past participle for unreal past. When you see had plus past participle in the if clause, you should immediately expect would have in the main clause.


Final Answer:

The error is in part 3, where I will help you should be replaced by I would have helped you.

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