Spot the error. An American visitor lay stress on the vast sums that the strike had cost the country.
Correct answer: A. lay
- A. lay
- B. stress
- C. on
- D. had cost
Explanation
This is the incorrect past tense form in this context. The correct past tense of "lay" (which means to put something down) should be "laid." However, the verb should be "laid" in the sense of putting emphasis on something, which is a less common usage. Typically, "laid" is used for placing objects. The appropriate verb here is "laid" if the intent is emphasis.The correct sentence should be: "An American visitor laid stress on the vast sums that the strike had cost the country."
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