Understanding Degrees of Comparison in English Grammar

The question asks us to identify the most appropriate substitution for the underlined segment "a good singer" in the sentence "He is a good singer of the two." This sentence compares the singing ability of "He" with one other person (implied by "of the two"). When comparing two things or people, we typically use the comparative degree of the adjective.

Degrees of Comparison Explained

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison:

• Positive Degree: Used to describe a single person, place, or thing without making a comparison. (e.g., good, tall, beautiful).
• Comparative Degree: Used to compare two people, places, or things. For most adjectives, this involves adding "-er" or using "more" before the adjective. (e.g., better, taller, more beautiful).
• Superlative Degree: Used to compare three or more people, places, or things and indicate which one has the quality to the greatest extent. For most adjectives, this involves adding "-est" or using "most" before the adjective. (e.g., best, tallest, most beautiful).

The adjective "good" is an irregular adjective when it comes to comparison. Its degrees are:

Analyzing the Sentence "He is a good singer of the two"

The phrase "of the two" clearly indicates a comparison between two singers. Therefore, the comparative degree of the adjective "good" is required. The comparative form of "good" is "better".

Furthermore, when comparing two specific items and using the comparative degree, we often use the definite article "the" before the comparative adjective to specify which of the two is being referred to. The structure is often "the [comparative adjective] of the two".

So, the correct form should be "the better singer".

Evaluating the Options for Substitution

Let's look at the provided options:

• Option 1: No substitution - The original sentence uses the positive degree "good" when a comparison of two is being made. This is grammatically incorrect in this context. Therefore, substitution is required.
• Option 2: the best singer - "Best" is the superlative degree, used for comparing three or more. Since the comparison is only between "the two", the superlative degree is inappropriate.
• Option 3: the better singer - "Better" is the comparative degree of "good", correctly used for comparing two. The use of "the" before "better" is also appropriate in the structure "of the two". This option fits the grammatical requirement for comparing two entities.
• Option 4: the good singer - "Good" is the positive degree, which is not used for making a comparison between two people. This option does not correct the grammatical error in the original sentence.

Based on the analysis, the most appropriate substitution is "the better singer" because it correctly uses the comparative degree of the adjective "good" for a comparison between two entities.

Conclusion: Choosing the Correct Comparative Form

The sentence requires a comparison between two singers. This necessitates using the comparative degree of the adjective "good," which is "better." The phrase "of the two" supports the use of the comparative degree and the article "the" before it.

Therefore, the phrase "a good singer" should be replaced with "the better singer".

Revision Table: Comparative and Superlative Forms

Additional Information: Using 'The' with Comparatives

While the comparative degree is usually not preceded by "the", there are specific cases where "the" is used with a comparative:

• When comparing two specific things and using the structure "of the two". Example: "He is the taller of the two brothers."
• In parallel structures showing proportion or cause and effect. Example: "The higher you climb, the colder it gets."

In the given question, "He is a good singer of the two," the structure "of the two" is present, which requires the use of "the" before the comparative form "better".