Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution’. Ashoka was one of the greater king of India.
the greatest kings
Understanding Grammatical Substitution: “One of the” Construction
The question asks us to identify the most appropriate way to substitute the underlined segment "the greater king" in the sentence: "Ashoka was one of the greater king of India." This sentence contains a grammatical error related to the use of adjectives and nouns following the phrase "one of the".
Let's break down the issue in the original sentence:
- The phrase "one of the" is used to indicate one item from a group of items.
- Following "one of the", we typically use a plural noun because you are picking one from a group of many.
- Additionally, when describing a quality within that group, the superlative degree of the adjective is usually used to highlight that the chosen item (or the group from which it is chosen) possesses the quality to the highest degree among its peers.
The original sentence uses "the greater king". "Greater" is the comparative degree of the adjective "great". "King" is a singular noun. This violates the standard construction of "one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun".
Analyzing the Options for Substitution
Let's examine each substitution option provided:
| Option | Substitution | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No substitution | The original sentence "Ashoka was one of the greater king of India" is grammatically incorrect because it uses "greater" (comparative) and "king" (singular) after "one of the". Thus, substitution is needed. |
| 2 | the more great kings | This option uses "more great" (comparative form, although "greater" is more common for 'great') and "kings" (plural noun). While "kings" is plural, the comparative degree "more great" is not typically used in the "one of the..." structure unless a specific comparison group is implied. The standard form uses the superlative. |
| 3 | the greatest kings | This option uses "the greatest" (superlative degree) and "kings" (plural noun). This perfectly matches the standard grammatical structure "one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun". The resulting sentence would be "Ashoka was one of the greatest kings of India," which is grammatically correct and common usage. |
| 4 | the greater kings | This option uses "the greater" (comparative degree) and "kings" (plural noun). While "kings" is plural, the use of the comparative "greater" after "one of the" is incorrect in this context where a superlative is required to indicate Ashoka belongs to the group of kings who were great to the highest degree. |
Determining the Most Appropriate Substitution
Based on the analysis of the grammatical rule for using "one of the", the structure requires a superlative adjective followed by a plural noun. Option 3, "the greatest kings", is the only option that fits this requirement.
- Original: One of the greater (comparative) king (singular)
- Option 3: One of the greatest (superlative) kings (plural)
Therefore, replacing "the greater king" with "the greatest kings" makes the sentence grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning that Ashoka was among the most great kings of India.
Conclusion
The grammatically correct way to complete the phrase "one of the..." when referring to a quality within a group is to use the superlative form of the adjective followed by the plural form of the noun. Option 3 provides this correct structure.
Grammar Revision Table
| Structure | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| one of the + superlative adj + plural noun | She is one of the smartest students in the class. | This is the standard structure to pick one item from a group possessing a quality to the highest degree. |
| the + comparative adj + singular/plural noun | He is the better singer of the two. They are the greater players. |
Used for comparing two things or groups. Not used with "one of the" in this manner. |
Additional Information on Superlative and Comparative Adjectives
Adjectives have different degrees to show comparison:
- Positive Degree: Describes a quality without comparison (e.g., great, tall, beautiful).
- Comparative Degree: Compares two things (e.g., greater, taller, more beautiful). Often followed by "than".
- Superlative Degree: Compares three or more things and indicates the highest degree of a quality (e.g., greatest, tallest, most beautiful). Often preceded by "the".
In the sentence "Ashoka was one of the greatest kings of India", Ashoka is compared to all other kings of India, indicating he was among those who were 'great' to the highest degree.
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
My old teacher gave many poor students money in spite of he was poor.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
You should to read the newspaper regularly if you want to be well-informed.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
If he had listening to me he would not have got lost.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
He asked for a bank loan also he didn't have sufficient resources.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
I went to the shop to buy some stationeries .
