Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Part B has an error.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question focuses on a common noun form mistake after the phrase under the direct. The sentence tries to express that the job is under the authority or supervision of a person. We have to find which part of the sentence is grammatically incorrect and choose the option that correctly identifies the faulty segment.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentence is divided as follows: The job is (A), under the direct (B), of Mrs Jones (C), No Error (D).
The intended meaning is that Mrs Jones directly supervises the job.
In standard English, the phrase should be under the direction of someone.
Part B currently contains the phrase under the direct without a proper noun following direct.
We assume that the rest of the sentence is left unchanged in the test format.
Concept / Approach:
The adjective direct needs a noun like control, supervision or direction to form a correct phrase. When talking about work or responsibility, the usual expression is under the direction of or under the direct supervision of. The fragment under the direct by itself is incomplete and ungrammatical. Therefore, the error lies in part B, and we should mark that part as wrong.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Analyse part A, The job is. This correctly introduces the subject and linking verb and has no error.
Step 2: Analyse part B, under the direct. Here, direct appears as an adjective with no noun after it, which makes the phrase incomplete.
Step 3: Analyse part C, of Mrs Jones. This prepositional phrase is fine and correctly indicates whose authority is involved.
Step 4: Decide which part must be changed to correct the sentence. Part B must be rewritten as under the direction or under the direct supervision for full correctness.
Step 5: Select the option indicating Part B has an error.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider the corrected sentence: The job is under the direction of Mrs Jones. This is natural and grammatically sound.
Compare with other collocations such as under the control of or under the charge of, which all use a noun after the preposition under the.
The only broken part of the original sentence is the fragment under the direct, confirming the error location.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because the phrase The job is uses correct subject verb agreement and linking verb usage.
Option C is wrong because of Mrs Jones is correctly formed with the preposition of and a proper noun.
Option D claiming no error is incorrect because there is clearly a structural problem in part B.
Option E referring to part D is irrelevant since part D only labels the no error choice.
Common Pitfalls:
Students may sometimes overlook this type of error because direct sounds like a strong word and they mentally supply the missing noun. It is important to check that adjectives such as direct actually modify a noun. Collocation knowledge, such as recognising under the direction of as a fixed phrase, is very useful in such questions.
Final Answer:
The error lies in Part B has an error., because under the direct should be under the direction or under the direct supervision.
Discussion & Comments