English grammar error-spotting (clause control after copular ‘‘is’’): Read and choose the erroneous part; avoid redundant ‘‘that’’ with a finite clause plus modal ‘‘should’’ after a copular: ‘‘It does not matter how you do it; / what I want is that / you should finish the work within a month. / No error.’’

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: what I want is that

Explanation:

Given data

  • A: ‘‘It does not matter how you do it;’’
  • B: ‘‘what I want is that’’
  • C: ‘‘you should finish the work within a month.’’
  • D: ‘‘No error.’’

Concept / ApproachAfter the copular ‘‘is’’, the complement should be a bare content clause without an extra ‘‘that’’ introducing another finite clause with ‘‘should’’. The idiomatic choices are: ‘‘what I want is to finish…’’ (if same subject) or ‘‘what I want is that you finish …’’ (without ‘‘should’’ in many exam keys). Here, Part B triggers an awkward double subordination.

Step-by-Step evaluationPart B is the source of awkwardness; the preferred correction is either (i) ‘‘what I want is that you finish the work within a month’’ or (ii) ‘‘what I want is for you to finish the work within a month.’’

CorrectionReplace ‘‘what I want is that’’ with ‘‘what I want is’’; then write the complement appropriately: ‘‘… is that you finish …’’ or ‘‘… is for you to finish …’’

Common pitfalls

  • Combining ‘‘is that’’ with ‘‘you should …’’ which many tests flag as redundant.

Final Answerwhat I want is that

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