Select the sentences which are grammatically correct.
A. The machine instantly responded to the command.
B. He reluctantly agreed to lead the project.
C. Confidently she apologized for her mistake.
D. They silently protested outside the office.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → A, B and D only
Position of adverbs of manner:
- An adverb of manner tells how something is done. Its normal places are just before the main verb ("He reluctantly agreed") or after the verb and its object ("She apologized confidently").
- When such an adverb is moved to the start of the sentence for emphasis, it is normally set off from the rest by a comma in careful writing.
Example: Slowly, the old man climbed the stairs.
A. The machine instantly responded to the command. — Correct. The adverb instantly stands just before the verb responded, its normal position.
B. He reluctantly agreed to lead the project. — Correct. Reluctantly (unwillingly) stands just before the main verb agreed.
C. Confidently she apologized for her mistake. — Incorrect. The adverb of manner is moved to the front for emphasis but is not set off by a comma; NTA treats this as incorrect. The standard forms are "She confidently apologized for her mistake" or "Confidently, she apologized for her mistake".
Correct form: Confidently, she apologized for her mistake.
D. They silently protested outside the office. — Correct. Silently stands before the verb protested, and the phrase of place "outside the office" follows the verb.