Combine the following sentences into a single sentence:
Mrs Kulkarni had a sore throat. She sang at the school function.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → In spite of having a sore throat, Mrs Kulkarni sang at the school function.
Joining with “in spite of + -ing”:
- A sore throat should stop a person from singing, but Mrs Kulkarni still sang. The two facts are in contrast.
- “In spite of” is followed by a noun or an -ing form, not a full clause: “In spite of having a sore throat”.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: In spite of she had a sore throat, Mrs Kulkarni sang at the school function. — Incorrect. The option says “In spite of she had”. “In spite of” cannot be followed by a full clause with its own subject and verb.
Option 2: In spite of singing at the school function, Mrs Kulkarni had a sore throat. — Incorrect. This changes the meaning. It makes the sore throat the surprising fact instead of the singing.
Option 4: In spite of having a sore throat, Mrs Kulkarni did not sing at the school function. — Incorrect. This changes the meaning. The given sentences say that she sang.