SSC MTS & Havaldar 2019 · Question 7 of 73
Understanding Possessive Forms and Prepositions The original sentence is “I had first gone to Srinagar with mine family in 1961.” The underlined segment we need to evaluate for substitution is “with mine family”. Let's break down the grammar involved in the underlined segment: Possessive Pronouns vs. Possessive Adjectives: English uses different words to show possession depending on whether the word stands alone (pronoun) or comes before a noun (adjective). ‘Mine’ is a possessive pronoun. It replaces the noun it refers to. Example: “That book is mine.” ‘My’ is a possessive adjective. It comes before a noun. Example: “That is my book.” In the phrase “mine family,” the word “mine” comes before the noun “family.” Therefore, the possessive adjective “my” is required instead of the possessive pronoun “mine.” The correct form is “my family.” Now, let's consider the preposition “with” and the alternatives suggested in the options, like “along.” ‘With’ is commonly used to indicate accompaniment. “Going somewhere with someone” is standard English usage. ‘Along’ can also indicate accompaniment, often implying moving together with others towards a destination, or following a path. While “along with my family” is grammatically correct, “with my family” is more direct and standard when simply stating who you were accompanied by on a trip. “Along family” is not grammatically correct without “with.” Analyzing the Options for Substitution Let's examine each option to see which one correctly substitutes the underlined segment “with mine family”. 1. along mine family: This option uses the incorrect possessive form “mine” before the noun “family.” Also, “along family” is not a standard or correct phrase for accompaniment. 2. along my family: This option uses the correct possessive form “my family.” However, as discussed, “along family” is not grammatically correct for indicating accompaniment. You might say “along with my family,” but this option only says “along my family.” 3. with my family: This option uses the correct preposition “with” for accompaniment and the correct possessive form “my family.” This phrase is grammatically correct and makes perfect sense in the context of the sentence. 4. No improvement: The original segment “with mine family” contains the grammatical error of using “mine” before a noun. Therefore, improvement is needed. Comparing Possessive Forms Here's a quick table summarizing the possessive forms: Possessive Adjective (used before a noun) Possessive Pronoun (used alone) my mine your yours his his her hers its its our ours their theirs Conclusion on Sentence Improvement Based on the analysis of possessive forms and prepositions, the phrase “with my family” is the grammatically correct and most appropriate substitute for “with mine family.” It correctly uses the possessive adjective “my” before the noun “family” and employs the suitable preposition “with” to indicate who the subject was accompanied by. Revision Table: Key Grammar Points Incorrect Correct Grammar Point Usage in Explanation Usage Original Use possessive adjective 'my' before my Possessive Form mine family a noun like 'family'. 'Mine' is a family possessive pronoun used alone. 'With' is standard for indicating who accompanied you. 'Along family' is Preposition for with mine with my incorrect. 'Along with family' is Accompaniment family family possible but 'with family' is more common here. Additional Information: Using Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives Understanding when to use possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) versus possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs) is crucial for correct grammar. Possessive adjectives always modify a noun, telling us whose something is. Possessive pronouns replace the noun phrase and stand alone, typically at the end of a sentence or clause. Examples with Possessive Adjectives: This is my car. Is that your bag? Their house is big. Her dog is friendly. Examples with Possessive Pronouns: This car is mine. Is that bag yours? The big house is theirs. The friendly dog is hers. Paying attention to whether the possessive word is followed by the noun it refers to will help you choose the correct form.
Source: SSC MTS 2019 paper (16-Aug-2019 Shift 1) compilation with key+explanations, via prepp.in · reliable-secondary
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