The question consists of a sentence which is divided into four parts. Only one part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard written English. Identify the part which contains an error.

Correct option is C

Option (c) contains an error.
The verb phrase "gossip away" is incorrectly structured. Since the sentence is in the past continuous tense ("were now tottering"), the verb "gossip" should also be in the continuous form to maintain consistency. The correct phrase should be "gossiping away."
Correct sentence: "They had played together in infancy: they had worked together in manhood; they were now tottering about and gossiping away in the evening of life, and in a short time, they will probably be buried together in the neighbouring churchyard."
Grammatical rule used: Parallelism in verb forms is required within the same clause or sentence for consistency. When one verb is in the continuous form, other verbs in the same clause should match.
Example:
· Incorrect: They were singing and dance at the party.
· Correct: They were singing and dancing at the party.