Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Part 4: No error
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question is an example of error spotting where a sentence is divided into parts, and the candidate must decide which part, if any, contains a grammatical mistake. The sentence provided is: Organic pulses are so popular today / that many people wonder / how they ever lived without them. / No error. Such questions check a range of grammar topics including subject verb agreement, tense consistency, and clause structure. Here, the focus is mainly on clause connection and tense use in a result clause.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The structure so ... that expresses a strong degree resulting in a consequence. In this sentence, so popular today connects logically to the result that many people wonder about their earlier life without these products. Present simple are and wonder indicate present facts and habitual reactions, while ever lived describes past life before organic pulses became common. All verbs and clauses are correctly linked. Therefore, to solve this question, we verify each segment for agreement, tense, and logical flow rather than assuming there must be an error.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Part 1: Organic pulses are so popular today. The subject organic pulses is plural, and the verb are correctly matches this plural subject. The adverbial phrase so popular today is grammatically sound.Step 2: Examine Part 2: that many people wonder. This continues the so ... that pattern. The verb wonder is in the present simple, appropriate for a general or current reaction.Step 3: Examine Part 3: how they ever lived without them. This dependent clause correctly uses past tense lived to describe a past state before organic pulses became popular.Step 4: Check the full connected sentence for overall meaning and fluency. The sentence clearly means that organic pulses are now extremely popular and people are surprised they managed without them earlier.Step 5: Since no grammatical or logical error is found in Parts 1, 2, or 3, we accept Part 4, No error, as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Compare the sentence with other standard examples of the so that structure. For instance, The weather was so bad that we stayed indoors or The film was so interesting that nobody wanted it to end. Similarly, Organic pulses are so popular today that many people wonder how they ever lived without them follows the same pattern, where so popular today leads to the result that many people wonder. Another check is to read the sentence aloud; it sounds natural and coherent, which supports the conclusion that there is no error.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
In error spotting questions, students sometimes assume that there must be an error in one of the first three parts and overlook the possibility of a completely correct sentence. This can lead them to invent errors where none exist. Another pitfall is to misjudge tense combinations, but here the mix of present for current popularity and reaction, and past for earlier life, is perfectly appropriate. It is important to approach each segment calmly and check grammar and meaning before making a decision.
Final Answer:
The sentence is grammatically correct in all its parts, so the answer is Part 4: No error.
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