Direction: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The alphabet number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, then the answer is E.
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He (A)/ always speaks(B)/ truth/(C)/No error (E).
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- A
- B
- C
- E
Correct Option: C
Note that when we are using abstract nouns that are not qualified or not fully qualified, zero article is normal usage:
Education in Britain begins when children are four and a half, normally.
Formal education in Britain begins when children are four and a half, usually.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Honesty and truthfulness are always to be preferred to deceit and lying
As you point out, Michael, abstract nouns are fully qualified when they are followed by a defining relative clause (introduced by who/which/that) or by the preposition of + noun phrase. Under these circumstances, the before the abstract noun is normally required:
The education (that) I received at a bog-standard comprehensive school was substandard.
The absolute truth of the matter is that abject poverty destroys lives.
Personal happiness is a basic human right.
The happiness (that) I felt when Maureen became pregnant was unqualified.
Note that happiness is considered to be one of a number of human rights, so an indefinite article is used with this abstract noun
