Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:
The higher the position was (1)/ the greater became the necessity (2)/ for discretion, propriety, and (3)/ refraining from premature revelation. (4)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. (1).
Error concept Related to the correct structure of parallel comparative clauses (The... the...).
What is wrong The clause "The higher the position was" is incorrectly structured. In a parallel comparative structure, the verb (was) usually precedes the subject (the position), or the verb is often omitted entirely.
Grammatical concept The parallel comparative structure uses the format: The + Comparative Adjective + Clause 1, the + Comparative Adjective + Clause 2. The standard structure for such formal, inverted clauses is:
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The + Comparative + Subject + Verb (Standard)
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The + Comparative + Verb + Subject (Formal Inversion, sometimes preferred)
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The + Comparative + Subject (Verb Omitted) (Common and concise)
Incorrectness of the concept in context The sentence should ideally use the inverted form for the first clause to match the flow of the second clause:
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Clause 1: The higher was the position (Formal Inversion)
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Clause 2: the greater became the necessity (Already inverted: Verb + Subject)
Alternatively, the concise structure works best:
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Clause 1: The higher the position (omitted 'was')
However, correcting the subject-verb order to The higher was the position makes the sentence grammatically correct and parallel to the second clause.
How to correct Replace "The higher the position was" with The higher was the position (or the simpler The higher the position).
Correct phrase/ correction The higher was the position
Final sentence The higher was the position the greater became the necessity for discretion, propriety, and refraining from premature revelation.
Hence, the chosen option will be correct.