The sentences given below may contain an error. You have to find that part which contains the error. If there are no errors mark ‘e’ as your answer
1. If it weren’t for the children, we haven’t had anything to talk about.
a) If it weren’t
b) for the children
c) we haven’t had
d) anything to talk about
e) No error
2. If I would have realized he was in trouble, I would have done something to bail him out.
a) If I would have realized
b) he was in trouble
c) I would have done
d) to bail him out
e) No error
3. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, the meeting was postponed indefinite, but the members could not be informed.
a) due to some unavoidable circumstances
b) the meeting was postponed
c) indefinite
d) the members could not be informed
e) No error
4. If you hadn’t phoned her we would never have found out what was happening.
a) if you hadn’t
b) phoned her
c) we would never have found out
d) what was happening
e) No error
5. He shouted at his secretary and told her that he does not need her service.
a) he shouted at
b) and told her
c) that
e) No error
Answers
1. c) we haven’t had
It should be ‘we wouldn’t have’. When the verb in the if-clause is in the past simple tense, we use would + infinitive in the main clause.
2. a) If I would have realized
This part should be ‘if I had realized’. To talk about an imaginary situation in the past, we use a past perfect tense in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.
3. c) indefinite
It should be ‘indefinitely’. Indefinite is an adjective, but we require an adverb here.
4. e) No error
To talk about imaginary situations, we use a past perfect tense in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.
5. d) he does not need
This part should be ‘he did not need’
When the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause, too, needs to be in the past tense.
