The given sentence is divided into four segments. Select the option that has the segment with an adverbial usage error.
Christopher told Mathew, / "Politely, she / takes the bus / to work."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. "Politely, she."
Error concept: Incorrect adverbial placement in the sentence.
What is wrong: The adverb “politely” is placed at the beginning of the sentence, which makes the meaning unclear or illogical — politeness doesn’t describe how she takes the bus.
Grammatical concept: Adverbs describe how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed. However, an adverb must logically fit the verb it modifies. The placement of “politely” here doesn’t connect properly with the action “takes the bus.”
Incorrectness of the concept in context: The word “politely” refers to manner of behavior toward people, not manner of travel. One cannot “take the bus politely,” as politeness applies to interpersonal actions, not routine habits.
How to correct: Remove the inappropriate adverb or replace it with one that logically fits the verb — e.g., “regularly” or “daily.”
Correct phrase / correction: “Regularly, she takes the bus to work.” or “She takes the bus to work regularly.”
Final sentence: Christopher told Mathew, “She takes the bus to work regularly.”
Hence, the chosen option is correct.