Question

Which of the phrases of option 1,2,3 and 4 given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct?
This is a crying shame, which human rights organization on either side of the border should took up in their respective judiciary.

• A. take on in their
• B. take up in their
• C. taken up in their
• D. no correction required

Hint:

Modal verbs (should, would, could, can, may, must) are always followed by the base form of the verb (\(V_1\)), never by past tense (\(V_2\)) or past participle (\(V_3\)) forms.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question evaluates sentence correction, specifically the rules governing modal verbs and the correct usage of phrasal verbs in context.
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the grammatical issues in the highlighted phrase "...should took up in their...":
1. Modal Verb Rule: The modal auxiliary verb "should" must always be followed by the base form of the verb (bare infinitive, \(V_1\)).
The past tense form "took" (\(V_2\)) is incorrect after "should". It must be replaced with the base form "take".
2. Phrasal Verb Choice:
- "Take on" means to undertake a task, accept a challenge, or acquire a feature.
- "Take up" means to raise, address, present, or begin to deal with a matter (especially a legal or formal issue with an authority).
In this context, presenting or raising a human rights issue within a country's judicial system is described as "taking up" the matter.
Therefore, the correct phrase is "should take up in their".
Let us evaluate the options:
- Option (A) "take on" is the wrong phrasal verb.
- Option (C) "taken" is a past participle, which cannot follow a modal verb directly.
- Option (B) "take up in their" correctly uses the base form "take" and the appropriate phrasal verb "take up".

Step 2: Final Answer:
The grammatically correct replacement is Option (B).