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20 votes
20 votes

$\underset{\text{I}}{\underline{\text{While trying to collect}}}$ an envelope $\underset{\text{II}}{\underline{\text{from under the table,}}}$ $\underset{\text{III}}{\underline{\text{Mr. X fell down}}}$ and $\underset{\text{IV}}{\underline{\text{was losing consciousness.}}}$

Which one of the above underlined parts of the sentence is NOT appropriate?

  1. I
  2. II
  3. III
  4. IV
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3 Answers

Best answer
28 votes
28 votes

Answer D.
While trying to collect an envelope from under the table, Mr. X fell down and  was losing consciousness.

A :Mr. X is trying to collect an envelope from under the table (Present continuous tense)
B :Mr. X fell down (Simple past tense)
C :Mr. X was losing consciousness. (Past continuous tense)

While A, B and C

What is wrong is the usage of sentences B and C together.

"We use the past continuous tense with the simple past tense when we want to show that one thing happened in the middle of another thing."
eg-I was taking a bath and the telephone rang.

Here it says..
"Mr. X fell down and  was losing consciousness."

i.e B is done.. and C starts. Where as the usage says.. C should have happened in the middle of B.

It should have been Mr. X fell down and  lost consciousness.

Source - http://www.5minuteenglish.com/nov12.htm

edited by
5 votes
5 votes
D. does not fit this sentence.  Was is past tense.  Losing is in the present.  The two words do not go together.  Was Losing should be replaced with "Lost"
0 votes
0 votes

Here, part IV is incorrect. "was losing consciousness" shows the continuous process of losing consciousness, but he was not in the process, rather he just lost consciousness. So, the correction is " was losing consciousness "  → " lost consciousness ". 
 

Thus, IV is the correct choice. 
 

Answer:

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