Pick the incorrect part in the given sentence. If there is no error, choose ‘No error’.
The guard at the railway crossing / told us that the gate would stay shut / for a hour because of repair work.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → for a hour because of repair work
The article before “hour” is wrong. The choice between “a” and “an” depends on the first sound of the next word, not its first letter. The “h” in “hour” is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound. So it must be an hour.
Option 1: The guard at the railway crossing — No error.
Option 2: told us that the gate would stay shut — No error. “Told” is in the past, so “would” is right in the reported part.
Option 3: for a hour because of repair work — Error. “a hour” should be “an hour”.
Corrected: The guard at the railway crossing told us that the gate would stay shut for an hour because of repair work.