The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
(A) The children eagerly gathered / (B) around the storyteller, / (C) listening attentive as he spun tales / (D) of adventure and magic under the starry sky
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. C.
Error Concept: Incorrect use of adjective instead of adverb.
What is wrong: The phrase “listening attentive” uses the adjective “attentive” to modify the verb “listening,” which is grammatically incorrect.
Grammar Concept: When modifying a verb, an adverb should be used, not an adjective. The correct adverb form of “attentive” is “attentively.”
Incorrectness of the concept in context: Using “attentive” does not properly describe how the children were listening. The sentence requires the adverb “attentively” to convey the manner of listening.
Correction: Replace “listening attentive” with “listening attentively.”
Corrected phrase: listening attentively
Final sentence: The children eagerly gathered around the storyteller, listening attentively as he spun tales of adventure and magic under the starry sky.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.