In this English grammar error-spotting question on spelling and verb choice, identify which part of the sentence is incorrect: "Speech was given (A) to man to (B) conseal his thoughts. (C) No Error. (D)". Choose the option that marks the erroneous segment or select 'No Error' if the sentence is fully correct.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Part C: "conseal his thoughts."

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error-spotting question evaluates your awareness of spelling and vocabulary, as well as standard proverb-like expressions in English. The sentence is a well known ironic statement suggesting that language can be used to hide, not reveal, what we think. Although the basic structure of the sentence is correct, one of the key content words is misspelled.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Sentence: "Speech was given to man to conseal his thoughts."
  • Part A: "Speech was given"
  • Part B: "to man to"
  • Part C: "conseal his thoughts."
  • Part D: stands for "No Error".
  • The intended verb is the standard English word meaning "to hide" or "to keep from being seen or known".


Concept / Approach:
The proverb here is commonly quoted as "Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts." The verb "conceal" means "to hide" or "to keep secret". The sentence uses passive voice ("was given") followed by an infinitive of purpose ("to conceal"). The only problem is that the word "conceal" is misspelled as "conseal", replacing "ce" with "se". In competitive exams, spelling mistakes in key vocabulary words are considered errors even if the grammar is otherwise correct.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Part A: "Speech was given". This is a grammatically valid passive construction. Step 2: Examine Part B: "to man to". This phrase correctly states the recipient ("man") and starts an infinitive of purpose ("to..."). Although some might prefer "to mankind", "to man" is acceptable in proverbial style. Step 3: Examine Part C: "conseal his thoughts." Here, the infinitive "to conseal" is intended to be the verb meaning "to hide", but the correct spelling is "conceal". Step 4: The corrected sentence should read: "Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts." Step 5: Since the grammatical structure is otherwise correct, the only error is the misspelling in Part C.


Verification / Alternative check:
Look up the standard form of the proverb or recall it from reading: "Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts." Everywhere you see this saying, the word appears as "conceal", not "conseal". Dictionaries confirm that "conceal" is spelled c o n c e a l. There is no standard English verb "conseal". This clearly identifies Part C as the location of the error.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Part A: "Speech was given" is a correct and literary way to start the sentence.
  • Part B: "to man to" correctly introduces the beneficiary and the infinitive of purpose; stylistically it matches proverbial English.
  • Part D (No Error): Cannot be chosen because the misspelling in Part C is a definite error.
  • Error in more than one part: Not appropriate, since only the verb spelling in Part C is faulty.


Common Pitfalls:
Spelling errors often go unnoticed if the pronunciation is roughly similar to the correct word. In exam settings, paying attention to the exact sequence of letters in key vocabulary is essential. Words like "conceal", "counsel", "council", and "consul" are frequently confused. Building a habit of reading high quality English texts and occasionally checking unfamiliar words in a dictionary helps strengthen your visual memory for correct spellings.


Final Answer:
The erroneous segment is Part C: "conseal his thoughts."; the verb should be spelled "conceal".

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