The following sentence has been divided into four parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options.
This boy / is cleverest / of all / in the class.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. is cleverest.
Error Concept: Use of article with superlative degree.
What is wrong: The phrase “is cleverest” lacks the article “the”, which is required before superlative adjectives.
Grammatical Concept: When using superlative adjectives (like cleverest), “the” is placed before them to specify the highest degree among a group.
Incorrectness of the concept in context: Since the boy is being compared with all in the class, it’s a superlative context, and omitting “the” is grammatically incorrect.
How to correct: Add “the” before “cleverest”.
Correct phrase/correction: is the cleverest
Final sentence: This boy is the cleverest of all in the class.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.