Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:
What he regretted the most (1)/ was not the outcome of the negotiation, (2)/ but that he had failed communicating (3)/ his intent clearly at the outset. (4)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. but that he had failed communicating.
Error Concept: Related to the incorrect verb pattern after “fail”.
What is wrong: The phrase “failed communicating” is incorrectly used in the sentence.
Grammar Concept: The verb “fail” is followed by the infinitive form “to + verb”, not by a gerund (verb + ing).
Incorrectness of the concept in context: Here, the gerund “communicating” is incorrectly used after “failed”. The correct structure should be “failed to communicate”.
Correction: Thus, “failed communicating” should be replaced with “failed to communicate”.
Corrected phrase: failed to communicate.
Final sentence: What he regretted the most was not the outcome of the negotiation, but that he had failed to communicate his intent clearly at the outset.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.