Identify the erroneous segment; if none, choose ‘‘No error.’’ Sentence: After toiling very hard over a long period he found he had hardly made no profit at all.

Introduction / Context:This tests the rule against unintended double negatives in standard English. Words like ‘‘hardly,’’ ‘‘scarcely,’’ ‘‘barely’’ carry a negative meaning and should not be paired with another negative such as ‘‘no’’ or ‘‘not’’ unless a positive meaning is intended.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Phrase used: ‘‘hardly made no profit’’ = negative + negative.
• Intended meaning: He made almost no profit.

Concept / Approach:Replace the second negative with a neutral quantifier. Correct collocation: ‘‘hardly any’’ rather than ‘‘hardly no.’’

Step-by-Step Solution:Spot double negative: ‘‘hardly’’ + ‘‘no’’.Adjust quantifier: use ‘‘any’’ after ‘‘hardly’’.Correct version: ‘‘… he had hardly made any profit at all.’’

Verification / Alternative check:Paraphrase: ‘‘He made almost no profit’’—a single negative sense.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:A–C are grammatically fine and set up the circumstance; only D creates the nonstandard double negative.

Common Pitfalls:Using two negatives under the influence of speech patterns; believing that more negatives strengthen the negative meaning (they cancel in standard grammar).

Final Answer:he had hardly made no profit at all.