The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
Scarcely had I / started reading / the paper / then the doorbell rang.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 4 i.e. then the doorbell rang.
- The error lies in the option 4 due to the wrong usage of the adverb.
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The adverbs "scarcely, hardly, and barely" are always followed by the adverb 'when' and not 'then'.
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"Scarcely...when" is used to combine or rewrite sentences denoting two simultaneous past actions.
The correct sentence will be:-
Scarcely had I started reading the paper when the doorbell rang.
Hence, the correct answer is Option 4 i.e. then the doorbell rang.