Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (D). (Ignore the errors of punctuation, if any).

I could not convince them (A) /because they persisted to suggest (B) / that I was lying. (C) / No error. (D)

The correct answer is '2' i.e. because they persisted to suggest .

Key Points

• The error lies in part (B), where the phrase "persisted to suggest" is incorrect.
• The verb "persist" should be followed by the preposition "in" and a gerund (verb+ing) to form a grammatically correct structure.
• The correct phrase should be "persisted in suggesting".

Correct sentence: I could not convince them because they persisted in suggesting that I was lying.

Additional Information

• Common Verb + Preposition Patterns:
  • Persist + in: He persisted in asking the same question.
  • Insist + on: She insisted on speaking to the manager.
  • Depend + on: Success depends on hard work.
• Gerunds after Prepositions:
  • When a verb follows a preposition, it is usually in its gerund (-ing) form.
  • Example: They are interested in learning new skills.