Select the most appropriate word to fill in the blank in the given sentence:
Two of the five clerks at our post office were on leave on Monday. ______ three clerks handled the long pension-day queue by themselves.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → The other
Complete sentence: Two of the five clerks at our post office were on leave on Monday. The other three clerks handled the long pension-day queue by themselves. The post office has five clerks, and two were on leave. The “three clerks” are the rest of that group.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Other | + a plural noun: more of a general kind, not the rest of a known group | Leela has visited Ooty and other hill stations in the south. |
| (2) The others | a pronoun: stands alone, with no noun after it | Two boys went home early, and the others stayed for the match. |
| (3) Others | also a pronoun: stands alone, with no noun after it | Some guests ate rice, and others ate rotis. |
| (4) The other (answer) | + a plural noun: the rest of a group we already know | Two of the six puppies are black, and the other four puppies are white. |