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English grammar error-spotting (reported clause after ‘‘thought’’; tense backshift and relative ‘‘whosoever’’): Read the sentence in parts (A–D) and identify the erroneous part; if none, pick ‘‘No error.’’ Ensure correct tense and clause embedding: ‘‘She was told / to give the award to whosoever / she thought has done the most for the downtrodden. / No error.’

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: she thought has done the most for the downtrodden.

Explanation:


Given data

  • Main reporting: ‘‘She was told’’ (past)
  • Embedded judgment: ‘‘she thought …’’ (past)
  • Inside that, a perfect: ‘‘has done’’


Concept / Approach
After a past reporting verb (‘‘thought’’), backshift or use a timeless form consistently. Here, the present perfect ‘‘has done’’ conflicts with the past-time frame. Use a past perfect (had done) or a past (did), and place the verb immediately after the relative pronoun to avoid an extra ‘‘that’’.


Step-by-step correction reasoning
Preferred exam fix: ‘‘… whosoever she thought had done the most …’’


Corrected version
‘‘She was told to give the award to whosoever she thought had done the most for the downtrodden.’’


Common pitfalls

  • Leaving ‘‘has done’’ after a past reporting verb.
  • Inserting unnecessary ‘‘that’’ after ‘‘whosoever’’.


Final Answer
she thought has done the most for the downtrodden.

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