Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase from the options given below:-

I asked Megha earlier if she thought it would rain and she said, 'I ______.'

hope not

The correct answer is Option (3) : hope not*

When answering a question that asks about the likelihood or desirability of an event (like "Will it rain?"), the common way to express a negative preference or desire is to use "I hope not."

• "I hope not" is an elliptical phrase that stands for "I hope it will not rain."

• "I hope so" is the equivalent phrase for expressing a positive desire ("I hope it will rain").