Identify the sentence which has the correct use of the underlined word.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Of the two lanes that lead to the well, this one is the narrower.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun, for example a tall tree, the food is tasty.
“The” + comparative for one of two:
When we pick out one thing from a group of only two, we use the comparative (the form that compares two) with “the” before it. The clue here is “of the two lanes”. So “the narrower” is correct, even without “than”.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The lane behind the temple is as narrowest as a school corridor. — Incorrect. “As ... as” shows that two things are equal. So it takes the plain form, never the superlative (the form for three or more).
Corrected: The lane behind the temple is as narrow as a school corridor.
Option 2: Of all the lanes in the old bazaar, this one is the more narrow. — Incorrect. “Of all the lanes” picks out one from many. So it needs the superlative, not the comparative.
Corrected: Of all the lanes in the old bazaar, this one is the narrowest.
Option 3: The lane behind the temple is narrowest than the one near the well. — Incorrect. “Than” compares two things. So it needs the comparative, not the superlative.
Corrected: The lane behind the temple is narrower than the one near the well.