Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: have stopped constructing multi storeyed office buildings
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This problem checks your knowledge of verb patterns after stop. In English, stop can be followed by a gerund (verb plus ing) to indicate ending an action, or by an infinitive (to plus verb) to indicate stopping some other activity in order to do the new one. The original sentence incorrectly uses stopped from constructing, which is not the standard pattern. The task is to identify and correct this structure.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The original sentence is: Due to the fall in real estate prices builders have stopped from constructing multi storeyed office buildings.
The context is a change in construction activity caused by lower real estate prices.
The intended meaning is that builders no longer construct such buildings.
We must check which option provides the correct verb pattern after stopped.
The tense have stopped is present perfect indicating a recent change.
Concept / Approach:
When stop is used to express that an activity has ended, it is followed directly by a gerund without any preposition: stop doing something, stopped smoking, stopped attending classes. We do not say stopped from doing in standard English. Therefore, we look for an option that removes from and uses constructing after stopped. We should also keep the tense have stopped because it correctly shows an effect that continues till now.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the incorrect phrase stopped from constructing, which violates the usual pattern stop plus gerund.
Step 2: Examine option a: have stopped at constructing multi storeyed office buildings. The phrase stopped at constructing sounds wrong; stop at is used with places or sometimes with limits, not with this meaning.
Step 3: Examine option b: have stopped to constructing multi storeyed office buildings. After stop, to is followed by the base verb, not ing, so to constructing is incorrect.
Step 4: Examine option c: have stopped constructing multi storeyed office buildings. This follows the correct pattern stop plus gerund and clearly means they no longer construct such buildings.
Step 5: Examine option d: No improvement is needed. This would keep stopped from constructing, which is wrong.
Step 6: Examine option e: had stopped from constructing multi storeyed office buildings. This still keeps the incorrect from and also unnecessarily changes the tense.
Step 7: Conclude that option c is the grammatically correct and contextually accurate improvement.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by using similar examples: The factory has stopped producing toys or Due to the ban, they stopped selling that product. In each of these, stop is directly followed by the ing form without any preposition. Also note that stop to produce toys would mean they stopped some other activity in order to produce toys, which is a different meaning. Our sentence clearly aims to say that the activity of constructing has ended, so have stopped constructing is the right form.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a misuses stopped at, which does not express ending an activity here.
Option b uses an incorrect structure stopped to constructing instead of stopped to construct.
Option d incorrectly claims that the original stopped from constructing is acceptable.
Option e retains from constructing and also changes the time reference by using had stopped, which is not indicated by the context.
Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse stop doing with stop to do and may wrongly use prepositions such as from before the gerund. It is important to remember the distinction: stop doing means end an activity, while stop to do means pause a different activity in order to start a new one. In exam settings, whenever you see stop followed by from plus ing, you should suspect an error.
Final Answer:
The improved sentence should read: Due to the fall in real estate prices builders have stopped constructing multi storeyed office buildings.
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