Error spotting (redundancy with 'reason why'): Choose the erroneous part (A/B/C) — mark D if correct — 'The reason why / he was rejected / was because he was too young. / No error.' Identify tautology and supply the idiomatic alternative.
Verbal Ability
Spotting Errors
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
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AThe reason why
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Bhe was rejected
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Cwas because he was too young.
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DNo error.
Answer
Correct Answer: was because he was too young.
Explanation
Given data
- A. The reason why
- B. he was rejected
- C. was because he was too young.
- D. No error.
Concept/Approach (tautology)'Reason' already conveys 'because'. The structure 'reason … was because …' is redundant. Use 'The reason … was that …' or drop 'reason' and use 'because …'.
Step-by-step correction1) Keep 'reason': 'The reason why he was rejected was that he was too young.'2) Or remove 'reason': 'He was rejected because he was too young.'
Common pitfallsStacking 'reason' + 'because'; mixing complements after 'was'.
Final AnswerC — Replace 'was because' with 'was that'.