Fill in the blank with most appropriate option:
The constant hum of the machinery was ___ distracting.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
Rather
Explanation
The sentence requires an adverb of degree to modify the negative adjective distracting.
Rather is the most appropriate choice because it is standardly used to mean "quite" or "to a certain degree" when describing an undesirable or negative quality.
The other choices do not work because "Much" cannot directly modify a base adjective without words like "too" or "very," "Mostly" means mainly rather than expressing a degree of intensity, and "Almost" implies it wasn't actually distracting yet, which changes the meaning of the sentence.
Key Points
The modifier Rather serves as an adverb of degree that typically pairs with unpleasant or negative words like annoying, difficult, or distracting.
The modifier Quite or Fairly is more commonly used to emphasize positive or pleasant qualities.