Choose the correct option to fill in the blank :
It was nothing else _________ the passion to do something great in life.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → but
Complete sentence: It was nothing else but the passion to do something great in life. "Nothing else but" means only: "It was nothing else but the passion to do something great in life" = it was only that passion.
| Option | Used to show | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) than | "Than" follows a comparative (more than, better than) or "other" (nothing other than). "Else" is not a comparative and takes "but". | – |
| (2) but (answer) | Else (after nothing, nobody, anything) is followed by but, in the sense of except. | He wanted nothing else but a chance to prove himself. |
| (3) more | "Nothing else more the passion" is ungrammatical. "More" cannot link "nothing else" to a noun. | – |
| (4) towards | "Towards" is a preposition of direction and makes no sense here. | The children ran towards the gate. |