Find the part of the sentence that contains an error : That there exists no recourse for citizens (1) / if environmental violatio…

Question

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error :

That there exists no recourse for citizens (1) / if environmental violations are condoned at the ministerial level (2) / underline a systemic erosion of (3) / constitutional accountability. (4)

1. A. (1)
2. B. (2)
3. C. (3) (Correct answer)
4. D. (4)

Correct Answer

Option C — (3)

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is part (3).

Key Points

• The subject is the noun clause beginning "That there exists no recourse for citizens…", and a *that*-clause functioning as a subject is singular.
• Part (3) uses the plural verb underline; it should be underlines.
• The long conditional clause in part (2) separates subject from verb and creates the impression of a plural subject — which is the trap.

Additional Information

• Noun clauses as subjects always take singular verbs: "That he lied is obvious", "What they decided was final", "Whether it rains does not matter".
• Strip out intervening clauses and read the skeleton — *That there exists no recourse … underlines a systemic erosion* — and the mismatch becomes immediate.
• Related singular-subject traps: each, every, either, neither, one of, and gerund phrases ("Reading books improves vocabulary").