Fill in the blank with the appropriate word from the options given below:
The director is a perfectionist,_____, he is seldom satisfied with average performance
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → hence
Complete sentence: The director is a perfectionist, hence, he is seldom satisfied with average performance. He is a perfectionist, and as a result he is seldom satisfied with average work, so a word of result is needed.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) hence (answer) | Hence means for this reason, therefore. It introduces a result of what has just been said. Linking words show the relation between two ideas: result (hence, therefore), contrast (however, nevertheless, but). | He did not prepare well; hence, he failed. |
| (2) however | contrast. Being seldom satisfied follows from being a perfectionist, it does not go against it. | The task was hard; however, she finished it on time. |
| (3) nevertheless | Nevertheless means in spite of that and introduces something unexpected. Here the second idea is expected. | It was raining; nevertheless, they went out. |
| (4) but | But joins two contrasting ideas. There is no contrast between the two clauses. | He is clever, but he is lazy. |