Choose the correct option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:
English verbs do not always fit very easily into______ categories. For instance, is the verb 'used to' an ordinary verb or a modal verb like 'would'?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → discrete
Complete sentence: English verbs do not always fit very easily into discrete categories. For instance, is the verb 'used to' an ordinary verb or a modal verb like 'would'? The sentence says that English verbs do not always fit neatly into separate categories: "used to" seems to lie between an ordinary verb and a modal verb.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) adjoining | next to and joined with (categories that touch each other would go against the point being made) | We booked two adjoining rooms in the hotel. |
| (2) discrete (answer) | separate and distinct, existing as individual parts | The course is divided into four discrete units. |
| (3) discreet | careful about what one says or does, so as not to embarrass anyone or reveal a secret (it sounds the same as discrete, but it describes people, not categories) | Please be discreet about what you heard in the meeting. |
| (4) discursive | moving from one subject to another without a clear plan (it describes writing or speech) | His discursive essay never came to the point. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): discrete – 20-05-2026 Slot 2, 23-05-2025 Slot 2, 29-05-2024 Slot 1, 07-06-2023 Slot 1 discreet – 20-05-2026 Slot 2, 29-05-2024 Slot 1, 07-06-2023 Slot 1 |