All Exams Test series for 1 year @ ₹349 only
Question

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: 

The speaker had been hardly audible due to disturbance.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 Question Paper (25-Sep-2025) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is
barely audible due to the disturbance

Replacing 'Hardly Audible' in Sentences

The phrase "hardly audible" means that the speaker could only be heard with great difficulty, implying a very low volume or significant interference.

Analyzing Sentence Replacement Options

We need to find the option that best replaces "hardly audible" while maintaining the original meaning and grammatical structure related to the "disturbance".

  • Option 1: "barely heard due to the noise" - Changes "audible" (quality of sound) to "heard" (action of perceiving) and "disturbance" to "noise". This alters the nuance.
  • Option 2: "barely audible due to the disturbance" - This option uses "barely" as a synonym for "hardly" and keeps "audible" and "disturbance". "Barely audible" accurately reflects the meaning of being difficult to hear.
  • Option 3: "hard to hear because of disturbance" - This is a valid rephrasing but less direct than replacing "hardly audible" with a similar adverb-adjective combination.
  • Option 4: "hardly hearing for the noise" - This changes the meaning significantly, suggesting the speaker had trouble *perceiving* sound, not that their own voice was difficult to perceive.

Selecting the Most Suitable Option

Option 2, "barely audible due to the disturbance", is the most suitable replacement. It directly substitutes "hardly" with its near-synonym "barely" and retains the key terms "audible" and "disturbance", perfectly preserving the original sentence's meaning: the speaker's voice was difficult to hear because of the ongoing disturbance.

Was this answer helpful?

Similar Questions

  1. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    My friend lives in a village since 2015.
  2. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    They enjoyed during the holidays.
  3. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    I object for your behaviour.
  4. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    The teacher advised him to not waste time.
  5. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    The teacher insisted that the student to be honest.
  6. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    She is good in dancing.
  7. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: 

    He is sleeping when I called him.

  8. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: 

    He is one of those students who has never cheated.

  9. Choose the most suitable option to replace thehighlighted part of the sentence:
    He suggested that we should to leave early.
  10. Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
    He is so weak to lift the box.

Important Questions from Sentence Improvement

  1. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.

    Transnational linkages, for example, sever the nation-state’s integrity and corrupt state-society relations.

  2. Select the most appropriate option that has the same meaning as the italicised segment. 

    His illness became a blessing in disguise when he married his nurse.

  3. Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
    The team always anticipate a bowling friendly pitch on their easy victory in the T20 matches.

  4. Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If no substitution is required, select ‘No substitution’.
    Satya is always great to his friends who helped him when he was in trouble.

  5. Select the option that will improve the underlined part of the given sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select 'No improvement required'.
    Is this the same book like our teacher recommended?

Need Expert Advice?
Test Series
SSC CGL img
SSC
SSC CGL (Tier I + Tier II) 2026 Mock Test Series - Latest Pattern
1736 Tests 6 Tests Free
1837 Attempts
4.2(846)
English, Hindi

Start Your Preparation with Prepp Mobile App

Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Prepp Mobile App