English Grammar: Completing Sentences with Correct Words

The question requires us to fill in two blanks in the given sentence: "He was one of best ________ and I felt his loss ________." To accurately complete this sentence, we need to choose the appropriate form of words that fit grammatically and contextually into each blank.

Friends: Understanding Plural Nouns with "One of the Best"

Let's analyze the first blank: "He was one of best ________".

• The phrase "one of the best" is a common construction in English. It means that the person or thing being referred to is a single item from a group of superior items.
• Therefore, after "one of the best", we must always use a plural noun. For example, we say "one of the best students", "one of the best movies", or "one of the best books".
• In this context, the person is being described as belonging to a group of top-tier friends. Thus, the correct word for the first blank is "friends" (plural noun).
• Choosing "friend" (singular noun) would be grammatically incorrect because it implies there's only one best friend, which doesn't fit the "one of the best" structure.

Keenly: Using Adverbs to Describe Actions

Now, let's look at the second blank: "and I felt his loss ________."

• This part of the sentence describes how the loss was felt. Words that describe or modify verbs (like "felt") are called adverbs.
• Let's consider the options:
  • "keen" is an adjective, meaning sharp, intense, or eager (e.g., "a keen interest"). It describes a noun.
  • "keenly" is an adverb, derived from the adjective "keen". It means in an eager, sharp, or intense way (e.g., "felt keenly", "watched keenly"). It describes a verb.
  • "keener" is the comparative form of the adjective "keen" (e.g., "a keener eye"). It compares two nouns.
• Since we need to describe the verb "felt" (how the feeling occurred), an adverb is required. Therefore, the correct word for the second blank is "keenly".

Completing The Sentence: Combining Correct Forms

By applying the rules of English grammar discussed above, we can correctly fill both blanks:

• First blank: "friends" (plural noun after "one of the best").
• Second blank: "keenly" (adverb modifying the verb "felt").

The complete and grammatically correct sentence is: "He was one of best friends and I felt his loss keenly."