Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution required’.
The White man had to swallow his bombast and have completed the journey in mortified.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. complete the journey in mortification.
Error is related to / concept: Verb form and word form error.
What is wrong: 'Have completed the journey in mortified' is incorrect — 'mortified' is an adjective meaning 'extremely embarrassed,' but the sentence needs the noun 'mortification' to indicate the state or feeling.
Grammatical concept: When expressing a completed action in the past without a time reference, the simple past is generally preferred over 'have completed' when narration is past-tense. Also, nouns (not adjectives) follow 'in' to express states.
Incorrectness of the concept in context: The intended meaning is that the man had to endure the journey while feeling embarrassed, so 'in mortification' is correct.
How to correct: Change 'have completed' to 'complete' and replace 'mortified' with 'mortification.'
Correct phrase: Complete the journey in mortification.
Final sentence: The White man had to swallow his bombast and complete the journey in mortification.