Fill in the blank in the following sentence with the most appropriate option:
__________ money that you have saved should not be spent on a grand wedding.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The little
Little, a little and the little:
- Little = hardly any (a negative sense).
- A little = some, a small but useful amount.
- The little = the small amount that there is, all of it; used when the amount is a particular one.
- Deciding clue: the clause "that you have saved", which makes the money a particular amount.
- This sentence: the money is a particular amount, fixed by the clause "that you have saved", and the speaker means all of that small amount, so "The little" is needed.
- Complete sentence: The little money that you have saved should not be spent on a grand wedding.
Example: The little water left in the bottle was given to the child.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Little — Incorrect. "Little" alone means hardly any and is used for a general amount; it cannot point to the particular money that was saved.
Example: There is little hope of rain today.
Option 3: A little — Incorrect. "A little" means some and is indefinite; "a little" cannot point to the particular money fixed by "that you have saved", which needs "the".
Example: Add a little salt to the soup.
Option 4: More — Incorrect. "More" means a greater amount and needs a comparison, which the sentence does not have.
Example: I need more time to finish this.