In the following question, one part of the sentence may have an error. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option; if the sentence is free from error, select "No Error". Several days passed before Jeff worked over enough courage to return to the house.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question focuses on phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions in English. The sentence talks about Jeff needing time before he found the courage to return to a particular house. The underlined parts test whether you recognise the correct phrasal verb used with "courage."


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Full sentence: Several days passed before (A) Jeff worked over enough (B) courage to return to the house. (C) No Error (D)
  • Part A: "Several days passed before"
  • Part B: "Jeff worked over enough"
  • Part C: "courage to return to the house."
  • Part D: "No Error"


Concept / Approach:
The idiomatic English expression is "to work up enough courage," meaning to gradually build or gather sufficient courage to do something difficult. The phrase "worked over enough courage" is incorrect, because "work over" is a different phrasal verb meaning to beat or attack someone, or to examine something in detail. So the error is specifically in part B.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the phrasal verb in part B: "worked over." Step 2: Recall the standard expression used with "courage": "work up courage" or "worked up enough courage." Step 3: Recognise that the correct sentence should read "Jeff worked up enough courage to return to the house." Step 4: Check parts A and C to ensure no other errors are present: "Several days passed before" and "courage to return to the house" are both correct. Step 5: Conclude that the error lies solely in part B.


Verification / Alternative check:
Read the corrected sentence: "Several days passed before Jeff worked up enough courage to return to the house." This version is idiomatic and clearly conveys that Jeff needed time to gather courage. The original phrase "worked over enough courage" is not used in English and would confuse native readers, which confirms that a correction is needed in part B.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • A: "Several days passed before" correctly introduces a time clause and is grammatically sound.
  • C: "courage to return to the house" is properly phrased and does not contain an error.
  • D: "No Error" is incorrect because there is an obvious idiomatic error in part B.


Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to overlook phrasal verb usage and focus only on tenses or subject verb agreement. Many English expressions depend on exact combinations like "work up," "build up," or "summon up" courage. Modifying one particle, such as changing "up" to "over," can make the phrase unidiomatic even if the grammar looks fine at a glance.


Final Answer:
The erroneous part of the sentence is B, because the correct idiomatic expression is "worked up enough courage," not "worked over enough courage."

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