Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:
We were instructed to keep the things in the room in an ______ manner.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → orderly
Adjective before a noun:
- An adjective describes a noun; in "in an ... manner" the missing word stands before the noun manner, so an adjective is needed.
- Not every word ending in -ly is an adverb: orderly, friendly, lovely and costly are adjectives.
- This sentence: orderly means neat, well arranged and organised, which is how the things in the room are to be kept.
- Complete sentence: We were instructed to keep the things in the room in an orderly manner.
Example: The students left the hall in an orderly line.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: ordainly — Incorrect. "Ordainly" is not a word in standard English. (The verb "ordain" means to make someone a priest, or to order something officially.)
Option 3: ordinarily — Incorrect.
- It is an adverb, and an adverb cannot describe the noun "manner".
- It means usually or normally, which has nothing to do with neatness.
Option 4: ordering — Incorrect. Ordering is the -ing form of the verb "order" (giving commands or asking for goods); "an ordering manner" is not used in English.
Example: She is ordering books online.