English grammar – Spot the error (choose the segment with the mistake; if there is no mistake, choose ‘‘No error’’). Sentence: “The committee is thankful to Shri Desai for preparing not only the main report but also for preparing the agenda notes and minutes.”
Verbal Ability
Spotting Errors
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
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AThe committee is thankful to Shri Desai
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Bfor preparing not only the main report
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Cbut also for preparing
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Dthe agenda notes and minutes.
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ENo error.
Answer
Correct Answer: but also for preparing
Explanation
Introduction / Context:Error-spotting questions test precision in grammar and style. This sentence checks your understanding of parallelism in correlative constructions, especially “not only … but also …”. Getting the structure right avoids redundancy and maintains balance between the paired parts of a sentence.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The sentence thanks Shri Desai for preparing several documents.
- The correlative pair used is “not only … but also …”.
- We must locate the exact segment that breaks correct parallel structure.
Concept / Approach:
- When using “not only … but also …”, the grammatical form following each part should be parallel.
- If a preposition or verb (e.g., “for preparing”) appears before “not only”, it should not be repeated after “but also” unless the first is omitted to maintain symmetry.
- Concise, non-redundant phrasing improves clarity.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the head structure: “thankful … for preparing [A] not only … but also … [B]”.Segment B repeats “for preparing”, creating “for preparing … but also for preparing …”.Correct parallelism is: “for preparing not only the main report but also the agenda notes and minutes.”Therefore the error lies in the segment “but also for preparing”.Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite to confirm: “The committee is thankful … for preparing not only the main report but also the agenda notes and minutes.” This reads smoothly and avoids duplication.Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A: Grammatically fine as a subject–complement chunk.B: Correct lead-in to “not only”.D: Correct object phrase.E: Incorrect because an error does exist in C.Common Pitfalls:
Repeating prepositions or verbs in paired structures; forgetting that “not only … but also …” demands parallel grammatical forms.Final Answer:
but also for preparing