Choose the option that will replace the error highlighted in bold.
Bim believed that silence was the worse betrayal of all, even more than spoken cruelty.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
Worst
Explanation
The question asks to find the correct grammatical replacement for the error "worse" in the sentence. To solve this quickly for an exam, look closely at the surrounding modifiers, especially the phrase "of all."
The sentence says: "Bim believed that silence was the worse betrayal of all..."
In English grammar, there are three degrees of comparison for adjectives:
Positive degree (e.g., bad) used for a single item without comparison.
Comparative degree (e.g., worse) used strictly when comparing exactly two items.
Superlative degree (e.g., worst) used when comparing an item against an entire group or looking at the absolute extreme.
The key phrase here is "of all," which means silence is being compared against every possible form of betrayal in existence (not just one other thing). Therefore, the sentence requires the superlative form "worst." Additionally, superlative adjectives are typically preceded by the definite article "the" ("the worst").
Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:
"More worse" is a double comparative error and is completely ungrammatical.
"Worse" is incorrect because it is a comparative modifier, which fails when the sentence evaluates a total group ("of all").
"Bad" is the base positive form, which cannot be used since a group comparison is actively taking place.
Plugging in the correct choice gives: "Bim believed that silence was the worst betrayal of all..." This makes Option 3 the correct choice.
Key Points
Spotting errors in adjective degrees on exams is easier when you look for contextual clues; phrases like "of all" or "in the world" always signal that a superlative adjective ending in "-est" or an irregular form like "worst" is required.
The definite article "the" acts as a strong grammatical anchor that almost always pairs with a superlative adjective rather than a comparative one.