In the following statements, one part of the sentence may have an error. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and click the button corresponding to it. If the sentence is free from error, select the "No error" option?

(A) There's Mr. Sachdev,/

(B) whom they say is the/

(C) best painter in the city./

(D) No error

1. A

   C

2. B

   A

3. C

   B

4. D

   D

Appeared in: DSSSB - 28 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

• The error lies in part (B) with the incorrect use of the pronoun 'whom'.
• The pronoun in the clause '...is the best painter in the city' functions as the subject of the verb 'is'.
• For a subject, the subjective case pronoun 'who' must be used, not the objective case 'whom'.
• The phrase 'they say' is a parenthetical element that interrupts the main clause; removing it helps clarify that 'who' is the subject of 'is'.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: Part (C), 'best painter in the city.', is a grammatically sound phrase. It correctly functions as a predicate nominative, describing Mr. Sachdev.
• Option B: Part (A), 'There's Mr. Sachdev,', is grammatically correct. The contraction 'There's' stands for 'There is', which correctly introduces the subject 'Mr. Sachdev'.
• Option D: This option is incorrect because there is a clear grammatical error in part (B) related to pronoun case.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Grammar: Subjective vs. Objective Pronouns (Who vs. Whom) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• This question assesses proficiency in English grammar, a non-clinical but foundational skill for all professionals.
• Accurate grammar is crucial for clear and unambiguous communication in nursing, especially in patient documentation, hand-off reports, and patient education materials, minimizing the risk of misinterpretation.
• What if the sentence was 'Mr. Sachdev is the painter to whom we gave the prize'? In this scenario, 'whom' would be correct because it serves as the object of the preposition 'to' (we gave the prize 'to him').

How to Approach the Question

• First, read the entire sentence to understand its overall meaning: 'There's Mr. Sachdev, whom they say is the best painter in the city.'
• Examine each part (A, B, C) for potential grammatical errors, paying close attention to pronouns, verb agreement, and sentence structure.
• Focus on part (B), which contains the relative pronoun 'whom'. Question its usage.
• Apply the 'who' vs. 'whom' test. Temporarily remove the interrupting phrase 'they say'. The sentence becomes '...who/whom is the best painter...'
• Now, substitute 'he' or 'him'. 'He is the best painter' makes sense. 'Him is the best painter' does not. Since 'he' (a subject pronoun) works, the correct pronoun is 'who'.
• Conclude that the use of 'whom' is an error, making (B) the incorrect part of the sentence.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Grammar: Subjective vs. Objective Pronouns (Who vs. Whom)
• Stem keywords: error in sentence, whom they say, best painter
• Lead-in keywords: Find out which part of the sentence has an error
• Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Q0uzwQ2bSpS2xZ3vUe7ol6

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