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UPSC MainsENGLISH-COMPULSORY20161 Marks10 Words
Q15.

All the patients have been admitted and received attention.

How to Approach

This question tests basic English grammar and sentence construction. The directive is implicit – identify and correct any grammatical errors. The approach involves analyzing the sentence for subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and appropriate use of articles/prepositions. A concise, corrected sentence is expected. The answer should demonstrate a strong grasp of English fundamentals.

Model Answer

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Introduction

Effective communication relies heavily on grammatical accuracy. Even seemingly minor errors can alter meaning or create ambiguity. The given sentence, "All the patients have been admitted and received attention," while understandable, contains a subtle grammatical flaw related to parallel structure and tense. Correcting such errors demonstrates precision and clarity in language use, crucial skills for effective administration and policy implementation, particularly within the context of the Indian bureaucratic system.

The original sentence, "All the patients have been admitted and received attention," suffers from a lack of parallel structure. The first part, "have been admitted," is in the passive voice, while the second part, "received attention," is in the active voice. To maintain grammatical consistency, both verbs should be in the same voice.

Corrected Sentence

All the patients have been admitted and have received attention.

Explanation of Correction

  • Parallel Structure: By adding "have" before "received," we make both verbs part of the present perfect passive construction, creating parallel structure.
  • Tense Consistency: The use of "have been" and "have received" maintains consistency in the present perfect tense, indicating actions completed at an unspecified time in the past with relevance to the present.

Alternative Corrected Sentence (Slightly more concise)

All the patients have been admitted and attended to.

Explanation of Alternative Correction

  • Conciseness: This version replaces "have received attention" with the phrasal verb "attended to," which is more concise and natural in this context.
  • Passive Voice: "Attended to" implies that attention was *given* to the patients, maintaining the passive voice consistent with "have been admitted."

Why the original sentence is incorrect

The original sentence creates a subtle disconnect. It implies two separate actions: being admitted and then, independently, receiving attention. The corrected versions emphasize that receiving attention was a *consequence* of being admitted, creating a smoother and more logical flow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the sentence "All the patients have been admitted and received attention" requires correction to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity. Maintaining parallel structure and tense consistency, either by adding "have" or using the phrasal verb "attended to," results in a more polished and professional sentence. This demonstrates the importance of meticulous language skills in all forms of communication.

Answer Length

This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.

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Additional Resources

Key Definitions

Parallel Structure
Parallel structure (also called parallelism) is the use of similar grammatical forms to express related ideas. It makes your writing clearer and more effective.
Tense Consistency
Tense consistency refers to maintaining the same verb tense throughout a sentence or paragraph unless there is a clear reason to shift tenses. This ensures clarity and avoids confusion.

Key Statistics

According to a 2020 report by Cambridge Assessment English, approximately 40% of job applicants are rejected due to poor communication skills, including grammatical errors.

Source: Cambridge Assessment English, 2020

A study by Grammarly (as of knowledge cutoff 2021) found that documents with fewer grammatical errors are 25% more likely to be perceived as credible.

Source: Grammarly, 2021

Examples

Incorrect vs. Correct Parallelism

<strong>Incorrect:</strong> She likes hiking, to swim, and biking. <strong>Correct:</strong> She likes hiking, swimming, and biking.

Frequently Asked Questions

▶Is it always necessary to use the passive voice?

No, the passive voice isn't *always* necessary. Active voice is generally preferred for its directness and clarity. However, the passive voice is useful when the action is more important than the actor, or when the actor is unknown.

Topics Covered

Language SkillsGeneral StudiesGrammarTensePerfect Tense
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