2019 · Q16
Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled as (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
This hardly won liberty (a) / was not to be (b) / lightly abandoned. (c) / No error. (d)
EnglishSpotting Errors
- AError in part (a)
- BError in part (b)
- CError in part (c)
- DNo error
Explanation
The sense required is "liberty won with difficulty", expressed by the compound adjective "hard-won". Part (a) misuses the adverb "hardly" (meaning "barely"), producing nonsense: "This hardly won liberty". Parts (b) and (c) are grammatical. Hence (A).