Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
Nobody knows where is Raina hiding.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. where Raina is hiding.
Error concept Related to the word order (inversion) in a subordinate nominal clause (or embedded question).
What is wrong The phrase "where is Raina hiding" is incorrectly structured as an interrogative (question) sentence.
Grammatical concept When a question word (where, when, what, how) is used to introduce a subordinate clause that functions as a noun (the object of the main verb "knows"), the clause must follow the word order of a statement (Subject + Verb), not the inverted order of a direct question (Verb + Subject). This is also known as an indirect question.
-
Incorrect (Question structure): where is Raina hiding
-
Correct (Statement structure): where Raina is hiding
Incorrectness of the concept in context The main clause, "Nobody knows...," makes the entire sentence a statement. Therefore, the clause following "where" must have the subject "Raina" before the verb "is hiding."
How to correct Replace the question structure (is Raina hiding) with the statement structure (Raina is hiding).
Correct phrase/ correction where Raina is hiding
Final sentence Nobody knows where Raina is hiding.
Hence, the chosen option will be correct.