Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:
It was at the summit in Vienna (1)/ where the treaty was officially ratified, (2)/ thereby bringing to an end (3)/ decades of political uncertainty in the region. (4)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 4 i.e. (2).
Grammatical Concept/Meaning:
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It-cleft Structure: The standard formula is It + is/was + [Subject/Adverbial] + that/who.
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The "That" Rule: In formal English, even when referring to a place or time within an It-cleft, the conjunction "that" is preferred over "where" or "when."
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Relative Adverbs vs. Clefts: While "where" is perfectly correct in a standard relative clause (e.g., "Vienna is the city where the treaty was signed"), it is considered a grammatical error in an It-cleft focused on the location.
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Function: The word "that" acts as a functional linker rather than a spatial one in this specific construction.
Correction/Reasoning:
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Original (Incorrect): "It was at the summit in Vienna where..."
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Improved (Correct): "It was at the summit in Vienna that the treaty was officially ratified..."
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Logic: Because the sentence begins with the "It was..." focus marker, the dependent clause must be introduced by "that."
Final Sentence: It was at the summit in Vienna that the treaty was officially ratified, thereby bringing to an end decades of political uncertainty in the region.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.