Identify the grammatically correct sentence:
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Each of the participating schools was awarded a certificate of recognition.
- Step 1: Examine the structure of the subject noun phrase: "Each of the [plural noun]". The prepositional phrase following "Each of the" must contain a plural noun ("schools"), while the head pronoun "Each" is singular and governs the verb.
- Step 2: Check the predicate verb: because "Each" is singular, the past passive auxiliary verb must be singular ("was awarded"). Therefore, "Each of the participating schools was awarded a certificate of recognition" is the only grammatically sound sentence.
Answer
Each of the participating schools was awarded a certificate of recognition.
Why not the others: The sentences with "were awarded" and "have been awarded" make a proximity agreement error by matching the plural object of the preposition ("schools") instead of the singular subject pronoun "Each"; the sentence with "participating school" violates the idiom of "Each of the", which requires a plural group from which individuals are singled out.
Practise more Vocabulary, Text Cohesion and Error Identification.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed SPM Malaysia mock tests.
More Vocabulary, Text Cohesion and Error Identification questions
- Choose the best word to replace the bracketed word in the sentence:
The committee decided to [postpone] the annual charity carnival due to… - Select the correct sentence connector:
Solar panels require substantial initial capital investment; _____, they yield long-term reductions… - Choose the word that best completes the sentence:
Preserving Malaysia's tropical rainforests is _____ to safeguarding endangered species li… - Choose the correct phrase to complete the conditional sentence:
If the public transport network _____ expanded earlier, urban congestion wo… - Choose the option that best explains the idiom:
The tech startup was running against the clock to submit their proposal before midnight. - Choose the correct preposition:
Consumers are increasingly abstaining _____ single-use plastic bags in retail outlets.