Fill in the blank with an appropriate degree of comparison.
Madhu was the one who had eaten the ______ number of mangoes, only one!
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer:-
least
Explanation:-
Superlative Article Clue: The presence of the definite article "the" right before the blank signals that a superlative degree of comparison is required to compare Madhu against the entire group.
Contextual Clue: The phrase "only one!" emphasizes that Madhu ate the lowest possible amount compared to everyone else, requiring the highest degree of downward comparison.
Word Form: The adjective "little" modifies amounts or numbers through the forms: little (positive), less/lesser (comparative), and least (superlative). "Leastest" is grammatically incorrect and does not exist in standard English.
Key Points
Core Definition: The superlative degree is used when comparing three or more entities to denote the extreme highest or lowest limit of a quality.
Grammatical Role: Matching the definite article "the" with the correct irregular superlative form "least" to satisfy sentence syntax and context.