English grammar – Spot the error (choose the part with an error or “No error”). Sentence: Well, I spend six or seven years / after high school / trying to find a job for me / but could not succeed in it.
Correct Answer: Well, I spend six or seven years
Introduction / Context:This classic “spot the error” item checks tense consistency in a past-time narrative and the use of fixed collocations. Candidates must identify which segment contains a grammatical fault.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The speaker describes a completed period in the past: “six or seven years after high school”.
- The later clause “could not succeed” is in past tense.
- The goal is to keep the timeline consistent across the sentence.
Concept / Approach:When a sentence reports a finished time in the past, the main verb must be in past tense. Therefore, “I spend six or seven years” is incorrect; it should be “I spent six or seven years.” Also note that “a job for me” is acceptable though “a job” or “a job suited to me” is more idiomatic; this does not constitute an error in test terms.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Check tense: “spend” (present) clashes with “could not succeed” (past).Convert to past: “I spent six or seven years …”.Verify other parts: “after high school” is fine; “trying to find a job for me” is grammatically okay; “could not succeed in it” matches past narration.Verification / Alternative check:
Edited sentence: “Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to find a job for me but could not succeed in it.”Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B: Prepositional phrase of time, correct.C: Non-finite clause headed by “trying”, grammatically valid.D: Simple past negative ability matches the narrative time.Common Pitfalls:
Mixing present with past in a single past-time narrative; overcorrecting idiomatic but acceptable phrases like “a job for me.”Final Answer:Well, I spend six or seven years