Choose the option that changes the given sentence into a negative sentence without changing its meaning:
Only the head chef knows the secret recipe of this dal makhani.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → None but the head chef knows the secret recipe of this dal makhani.
Changing “Only” into a negative sentence:
- “Only” before a person can be changed into the negative words None but.
- “None but the head chef knows” means that no one other than the head chef knows. This is the same as the given sentence.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Not only the head chef knows the secret recipe of this dal makhani. — Incorrect. This changes the meaning. “Not only the head chef” says that other people also know the recipe.
Option 2: The head chef does not know the secret recipe of this dal makhani. — Incorrect. This turns the meaning upside down. It says that the head chef does not know the recipe.
Option 3: None except the head chef does not know the secret recipe of this dal makhani. — Incorrect. The option says “None except ... does not know”. The two negatives make it mean that everyone except the head chef knows the recipe.