Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Grammatical accuracy and the ability to manipulate sentence structure are fundamental skills assessed in the English Language paper of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. This question specifically tests the understanding of conjunctions and their appropriate usage to convey contrast. The word 'despite' signifies that something happened even though there was an obstacle or opposing circumstance. Therefore, the rewritten sentence must reflect this contrast between the illness and the act of attending school.
The original sentences are: "He was ill. He came to school." The directive is to rewrite these as a single sentence beginning with 'despite'.
Rewritten Sentence:
Despite being ill, he came to school.
Explanation of the Transformation:
- The word 'despite' introduces a contrasting idea.
- 'Being ill' functions as a gerund phrase, acting as the subject of the implied contrast. This is a grammatically correct way to express the state of illness.
- The comma separates the contrasting phrase from the main clause.
- The main clause 'he came to school' remains unchanged, preserving the original meaning.
Alternative, equally valid rewrites include:
- Despite his illness, he came to school. (Using a possessive pronoun)
- Despite the fact that he was ill, he came to school. (More verbose, but grammatically correct)
However, the most concise and elegant solution is "Despite being ill, he came to school."
It's important to note that simply writing "Despite he was ill, he came to school" is incorrect because 'despite' requires a noun or gerund phrase following it, not a full clause with a subject and verb.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the correct rewriting of the given sentences, beginning with 'despite' and maintaining the original meaning, is "Despite being ill, he came to school." This demonstrates a clear understanding of grammatical rules, specifically the correct usage of conjunctions to express contrast. Accuracy and conciseness are key elements in answering such questions effectively.
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.