Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:
It was not until the second report (1)/ was leaked to the press (2)/ did the ministry issue (3)/ a formal clarification. (4)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3 i.e. (3).
Analysis/Context: The sentence describes a sequence of events where a formal clarification from the ministry was contingent upon the leaking of a second report. The error lies in the structural construction of the subordinate clause following a specific negative introductory phrase.
Grammatical Concept/Meaning:
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The "It was not until... that" Structure: This is a specific emphatic construction used to focus on the time when something finally happened.
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Rule: When a sentence begins with "It was not until [time/event]," the following clause must be introduced by the conjunction "that."
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Inversion Rule: Inversion (verb before subject, e.g., "did the ministry") occurs only when the sentence starts directly with the negative adverbial phrase "Not until..." (e.g., Not until the report was leaked did the ministry issue...).
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Relative Clause: Since this sentence uses the "It was..." cleft construction, the inversion is grammatically incorrect.
Correction/Reasoning:
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Option 3 (Error): The phrase "did the ministry issue" uses an inverted question-style structure which is incompatible with the "It was not until..." format.
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Replacement: It should be replaced with "that the ministry issued." This provides the necessary conjunction and returns the verb to its standard assertive position in the past tense.
Final Sentence: It was not until the second report was leaked to the press that the ministry issued a formal clarification.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.