Isn't There A Mistake Here...

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Isn't There A Mistake Here...

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I have been doing some English tests (for admission in a University, mark you), and the second part of these tests consists of a grammatical section. The third part of the grammatical section is Error Identification. The directions read as follows: Some of the sentences below contain an error in the grammar, usage, word choice or idiom. For each sentence, select the one underlined part that contains the mistake and then, on your answer sheet, fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen. If there is no error in the sentence, mark answer D.

And here is the sentence that troubles me:

Today's problems (A) are different from those that (B) we faced when we were younger; they appear to be less involved (C). No error (D)

I was quite sure that the mistake was in C and that the correct form should be 'less invloving' (viz. the problems). But the 'correct' answer according to the test booklet in D No Error. And so my question is, whether such a sentence is at all logically possible in English, or was I initially correct in pointing out the mistake?

Jul 01 2005 11:08:14

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This is what I think, but I'm not a native speaker, so you need someone to check me ;-)

"To be involved" is a passive voice, while "to be involving" is active. In this case, a passive voice needs to be used, because 'Today's problems', which is the subject in this sentence, 'undergoes' (can't find another word) the action of the verb 'appear'.
This is all I know... let's hope someone else can explain it better than I ;-)

Vince..

Jul 01 2005 12:59:39

Actually that's exactly what I thought was wrong with the sentence - the usage of passive voice. If 'they' denotes the problems the sentence would be unfinished and make no sense: The problems appear to be involved... Involved in or with what; and how at all can problems be involved. Therefore I thought that involved should be changed into the adjective 'involving', meaning that the the problems require the ivolvement of youth in a lesser degree. 'They' could refer to the youth nowadays, meaning that the youth is less involved, but there is no such object in the original clause, there is only an allusion to it, namely 'when we were younger'. Therefore the use of a personal pronoun would be inappropriate, but thanks anyway : ).

Jul 01 2005 14:01:52

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I do agree with Guest. I really don't see how problems could appear/be "involved"? Even "involving" would sound weird.

Jul 01 2005 15:09:18

The meaning is that today's problems are simpler (= less involved), if that helps you.

Jul 01 2005 15:15:51

It does, MrM, thanks!

(though I wouldn't say that they're simpler, on the contrary...)

Jul 01 2005 15:25:14

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'The meaning is that today's problems are simpler (= less involved), if that helps you.'

Oh, well, guess I was wrong after all in selecting C. At any rate it does sound awfully uncouth... but thanks!

Jul 01 2005 16:20:36

I am no expert, but doesn't 'involve' require an object, or at least a preposition? It is a transitive verb besides.

Jul 01 2005 16:44:13

Yes, you're right, 'to involve' is transitive, but here it looks like the past participle is used as an adjective with 'to be', so you can't have an object.

At the worst, it's in the passive voice, and again you can't have an object.

Jul 01 2005 17:19:23

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This is what I think, but I'm not a native speaker, so you need someone to check me ;-)

"To be involved" is a passive voice, while "to be involving" is active. In this case, a passive voice needs to be used, because 'Today's problems', which is the subject in this sentence, 'undergoes' (can't find another word) the action of the verb 'appear'.
This is all I know... let's hope someone else can explain it better than I ;-)

Vince..
Actually that's exactly what I thought was wrong with the sentence - the usage of passive voice. If 'they' denotes the problems the sentence would be unfinished and make no sense: The problems appear to be involved... Involved in or with what; and how at all can problems be involved. Therefore I thought that involved should be changed into the adjective 'involving', meaning that the the problems require the ivolvement of youth in a lesser degree. 'They' could refer to the youth nowadays, meaning that the youth is less involved, but there is no such object in the original clause, there is only an allusion to it, namely 'when we were younger'. Therefore the use of a personal pronoun would be inappropriate, but thanks anyway : ).
I do agree with Guest. I really don't see how problems could appear/be "involved"? Even "involving" would sound weird.
The meaning is that today's problems are simpler (= less involved), if that helps you.
It does, MrM, thanks!

(though I wouldn't say that they're simpler, on the contrary...)
'The meaning is that today's problems are simpler (= less involved), if that helps you.'

Oh, well, guess I was wrong after all in selecting C. At any rate it does sound awfully uncouth... but thanks!
I am no expert, but doesn't 'involve' require an object, or at least a preposition? It is a transitive verb besides.
Yes, you're right, 'to involve' is transitive, but here it looks like the past participle is used as an adjective with 'to be', so you can't have an object.

At the worst, it's in the passive voice, and again you can't have an object.

Isn't There A Mistake Here...

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