A part of the following sentence is underlined. Choose the option that can replace the underlined part to improve the sentence. If you feel Options A, B, or C do not improve the sentence, then choose Option D: "No improvement required."
I am confident that our production plan is ____ more sustainable than theirs.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Correct Answer
No improvement required
Explanation
The original sentence is grammatically correct. It uses the comparative adjective form (more sustainable) followed by than to compare two things. The possessive pronoun theirs is correctly used at the end to mean "their production plan," avoiding repetitive phrasing.
The other options introduce errors. Option 1 incorrectly uses the possessive adjective "their," which requires a noun immediately after it. Option 2 repeats the correct phrase but is listed as a separate option choice, while Option 3 incorrectly mixes the superlative degree "most" with "than" and uses a non-existent word formulation ("theirs'").
(Note: While the provided answer key marks Option 2, it is textually identical to the original underlined part, making "No improvement required" the logically accurate choice for this question format).
Key Point
When comparing possession between two groups without repeating the noun, always use a independent possessive pronoun like theirs, ours, or yours. Since the original sentence already matches this rule perfectly, no changes are needed.