Choose the appropriate word to complete the following sentence:
Since his knee operation, Dadaji climbs the stairs ______ more slowly than before.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → much
An adverb is a word that tells how, when, where or how much something happens. It can also describe an adjective or another adverb, for example she sings sweetly, very hot.
Complete sentence: Since his knee operation, Dadaji climbs the stairs much more slowly than before. The clue is “more slowly than before”. This is a comparative, so it takes “much”, not “very”.
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) very | makes a plain adjective or adverb stronger; it is not used before a comparative | The old bus moves very slowly on the ghat road. |
| (2) too | more than is needed or wanted; it goes before a plain adjective or adverb, not before a comparative | You are speaking too fast for me to follow. |
| (3) much (answer) | adverb of degree: used before a comparative to make it stronger (“much better”); “far” works the same way | Riya’s handwriting is much neater now. |
| (4) so | to such a degree; it usually comes with a “that” part | It rained so heavily that the school closed early. |