Fill in the blank with the correct adverb:
____ have I heard such words of wisdom from so young a speaker.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → seldom
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: Seldom have I heard such words of wisdom from so young a speaker. The speaker is surprised to hear such wisdom from so young a speaker. This has rarely happened, so "Seldom have I heard ..." gives both the meaning and the inverted order.
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) often | many times. The sentence expresses wonder at something rare. If it happened often, there would be nothing remarkable about it. | – |
| (2) soon | after a short time. It tells how quickly something happens, not how often. "Soon have I heard such words" makes no sense, and it is not a negative adverb that calls for the inverted order. | – |
| (3) seldom (answer) | Seldom means rarely, not often. When a negative or limiting adverb (seldom, never, rarely, hardly) begins a sentence for emphasis, the helping verb comes before the subject: "Seldom have I heard ...". | Seldom have I seen such a beautiful sunset. |
| (4) unconditionally | without any conditions (unconditionally accepted). It makes no sense with hearing words of wisdom. | – |