Question

Look at the underlined part of the given sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If any of substitutions; (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, choose that substitution as your response. If none of the substitution improves the sentence, choose (d) as your response. Thus, a ‘No improvement’ response will be signified by the letter (d).
It is no good to cry over spilt milk.

• A. It is no good crying
• B. It is of no good to cry
• C. It is of no good crying
• D. No improvement

Hint:

Expressions like "it is no good", "it is no use", "it is worth" are followed by the gerund.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To determine the correct substitution for the underlined part of the sentence "It is no good to cry over spilt milk," let's analyze each option provided.

1. It is no good crying over spilt milk: This is the idiomatic expression that is widely accepted in English. The phrase "no good crying" is a common expression meaning it is futile or useless to lament something that cannot be changed.
2. It is of no good to cry over spilt milk: While this version grammatically makes sense, it is not commonly used in idiomatic English. The phrase "of no good" suggests no usefulness, but the idiomatic expression does not usually include "of."
3. It is of no good crying over spilt milk: Similar to the previous option, this version is grammatically correct but not idiomatic. The idiom typically doesn’t use "of."
4. No improvement: This option suggests that the original sentence is already correct and does not need any changes. However, the original wording "to cry" is not idiomatic for this expression.

After analyzing the options, the most appropriate choice is:

It is no good crying over spilt milk. This is the correct idiomatic form. Hence, this option is the correct substitution for the underlined part.