In this error spotting question, identify the incorrect part in the sentence about playing your role in an imperfect world.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question examines clarity and completeness of expression in a complex sentence about life in an imperfect world. The sentence encourages the reader to play their role as best as possible and to take others along with empathy and loving detachment. However, one part of the sentence leaves out an essential noun, making the construction awkward and incomplete. Identifying such errors is important for precise communication.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Part 1: In an imperfect world with not-so-perfect people and institutions, you have to play
  • Part 2: your role the best you can, take as many as you can along with you,
  • Part 3: with empathy and a bit of loving detachment.
  • Part 4: No error
  • The intended meaning is to take as many people as you can along with you.


Concept / Approach:
The problematic phrase is take as many as you can along with you. In English, as many normally needs a noun after it, such as as many people, as many students, or as many friends. When used without a noun, as many can function as a pronoun only if the referent is clear and recently mentioned. Here, there is no clear plural noun introduced before as many, so the sentence feels incomplete. This suggests that part 2 is where the error lies, since the phrase needs an additional noun like people to be fully correct.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence carefully, paying attention to the phrase take as many as you can along with you. Step 2: Notice that as many normally requires a noun, for example people, to complete the idea. Step 3: Recognise that no such plural noun has appeared earlier, so as many lacks a clear reference. Step 4: Mentally correct the phrase to take as many people as you can along with you to see how it should read. Step 5: Conclude that the error is located in part 2, where the sentence is grammatically and logically incomplete.


Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence with the implied correction: In an imperfect world with not-so-perfect people and institutions, you have to play your role the best you can, take as many people as you can along with you, with empathy and a bit of loving detachment. This revised version expresses the intended idea clearly and reads smoothly. Since only part 2 needed adjustment to insert the missing noun, we can confirm that part 2 is the part containing the error. Parts 1 and 3 are otherwise grammatically sound and convey the message effectively.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part 1 correctly sets up the context in an imperfect world with not-so-perfect people and institutions and uses proper punctuation and prepositions.

Part 3, with empathy and a bit of loving detachment, is a well formed prepositional phrase that adds detail about the manner of taking others along.

Part 4 cannot be chosen because we have identified a clear structural issue in part 2 related to the missing noun after as many.


Common Pitfalls:
Learners often overlook missing words when the overall meaning is easy to guess, but in competitive exams, incomplete collocations are treated as errors. To avoid this, pay attention to patterns like as many, as much, and as few, which usually require a following noun. For example, as many books, as few mistakes, as much time. If the noun is absent and the reference is not obvious from the previous context, the sentence is likely incomplete.


Final Answer:
The error is in part 2; the phrase should include a noun, such as as many people as you can.

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