Question

Choose the word or phrase which best completes the sentence:

There_______to be serious flaws in the design.

• A. claimed
• B. reported
• C. were said
• D. were told

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

were said

'There' performs as the subject of this sentence. It's an extra word that is not grammatically linked to the sentence, but we use it when there's no other subject.

Option C: 'Were said' is in past tense, passive voice. It agrees to the sentence in meaning. Hence option C is correct.

Options A and B: 'Claimed' and 'reported' are active verbs. They require a subject that would perform the actions 'to claim' and 'to report'. But the word 'there' does not perform an action.

Option D: 'Told' in 'were told' means 'said to'. The word 'told' is directed towards someone 'to'. There is no such noun here towards whom the action would be directed.

Hence options A, B and D are wrong.