Choose the most appropriate article to fill in the blank:
The longer you knead the dough, ________ softer the rotis turn out.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → the
Complete sentence: The longer you knead the dough, the softer the rotis turn out. The first part of this sentence already says “The longer”. So the second part must also start with “the” before “softer”.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a | before one thing that can be counted, as in “a soft roti”; here no such noun comes after “softer” | Dadi bought a new rolling pin. |
| (2) an | before a vowel sound; “softer” begins with a consonant sound | She kneaded the dough in an old steel plate. |
| (3) No article | plural or uncountable nouns used in a general sense; the “the ... the” pattern needs “the” in both parts | Rotis taste best when they are hot. |
| (4) the (answer) | when two changes go together: “the + comparing word ..., the + comparing word ...” | The earlier we leave, the less traffic we will meet. |