In the following error spotting sentence, read the labelled parts and decide which one (A), (B), (C) or (D) contains the grammatical or usage error: When Albert stayed at the African jungle (A) / he chose to put up with many inconveniences such as (B) / wild animals and poisionous insects. (C) / No Error (D).

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question checks your understanding of correct preposition choice with place nouns and natural settings. The sentence is divided into labelled parts (A), (B), (C), and (D), and you must identify which part is grammatically incorrect. The sentence describes Albert staying in a jungle in Africa and tolerating inconveniences such as wild animals and poisonous insects. The main issue is the preposition used with the phrase African jungle, which is a typical preposition error tested in competitive English exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Part (A): When Albert stayed at the African jungle
  • Part (B): he chose to put up with many inconveniences such as
  • Part (C): wild animals and poisionous insects.
  • Part (D): No Error.
  • The intended meaning is that Albert stayed in a jungle located in Africa and accepted many inconveniences.


Concept / Approach:
The main concept here is the use of prepositions with large areas and natural regions. We normally say in the jungle, in the forest, or in the desert, not at the jungle. The preposition at is more appropriate for specific points or locations like at the station, at the gate, or at the bus stop. Therefore, the phrase stayed at the African jungle is incorrect. It should be stayed in the African jungle. The rest of the sentence is structurally sound: put up with many inconveniences is a standard phrasal verb construction, and wild animals and poisonous insects form a natural list of examples. The spelling poisionous is a typo for poisonous, but the exam usually focuses on one main grammar error, which is the wrong preposition in part (A).


Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Examine part (A) and focus on the phrase stayed at the African jungle. Step 2: Recall that we use in with large areas like cities, countries, and regions, and with natural environments like jungles, forests, and mountains. Step 3: Recognise that the correct phrase must be stayed in the African jungle, not stayed at the African jungle. Step 4: Check that parts (B) and (C) are grammatically acceptable as a description of inconveniences, and confirm that the main tested error is in part (A).


Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, rewrite the sentence with the correct preposition: When Albert stayed in the African jungle, he chose to put up with many inconveniences such as wild animals and poisonous insects. This sentence now sounds natural and follows standard preposition usage. If we keep the original at, the phrase feels awkward and unidiomatic. Native speakers clearly prefer in the jungle in such contexts. While we could also correct the spelling of poisonous, error spotting questions typically focus on the most obvious grammar or usage error that affects structure rather than a minor spelling slip. This supports identifying part (A) as the answer.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part (B) uses the phrasal verb put up with, which correctly means tolerate or accept, and is followed by the noun phrase many inconveniences such as, so there is no error here. Part (C) lists wild animals and poisonous insects as examples, which is perfectly logical in the context of a jungle, and the structure of the phrase is correct even though the spelling of poisonous could be refined. Part (D), No Error, is not correct because we have found a clear and rule based preposition error in part (A). Therefore, option A is the only one that correctly marks the problematic portion of the sentence.


Common Pitfalls:
A common trap is to be distracted by the unusual spelling poisionous and assume that the question is purely about spelling. While spelling is important, exam setters often target core grammar patterns such as preposition use. Another pitfall is to hesitate between at and in without recalling the general rule that in applies to larger areas and natural settings. To avoid such mistakes, learners should memorise examples like in the jungle, in the forest, in the mountains, and in the desert, and reserve at for defined points or events. This pattern becomes easier to recognise once you see it in multiple sentences.


Final Answer:
The usage error is in part (A), so the correct answer is A.

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