Fill in the blank with the most suitable word from the options given below :-
The Principal gave some ______________ suggestions to the students and asked them to call off the strike.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Alternate
An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun, for example a tall tree, the food is tasty.
Complete sentence: The Principal gave some alternate suggestions to the students and asked them to call off the strike. The blank stands before the noun "suggestions", so it needs an adjective that describes them.
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Alternate (answer) | Alternate, used as an adjective, here means offering another choice (the same as "alternative", a use common in American English). The Principal gave the students other ways to settle the matter and asked them to call off the strike. | The road was closed, so we took an alternate route. |
| (2) Alternating | Alternating means changing by turns, first one and then the other. "Alternating suggestions" does not describe advice offered as another choice. | The lights flashed in alternating colours. |
| (3) Alternately | Alternately is an adverb (by turns). An adverb cannot describe the noun "suggestions". | The two teams batted alternately. |
| (4) Altering | Altering is the -ing form of alter (to change something). "Altering suggestions" makes no sense here. | The tailor is altering the dress. |