Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution’.
Commodity prices are the dearer in the present economic scenario.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. dearest.
Error concept The word “dearer” is a comparative degree adjective, but the sentence uses “the”, which signals the need for a superlative degree.
What is wrong The phrase “the dearer” is wrong because comparative degree (dearer) is not used with “the” unless two items are being compared (e.g., This book is the dearer of the two).
Grammatical concept
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Comparative degree (dearer) → used when comparing two things.
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Superlative degree (dearest) → used when comparing more than two things or to show the highest degree.
Incorrectness of the concept in context
Here, the sentence is making a general statement about prices in the present economic scenario, not comparing two items. So, the superlative degree “dearest” is needed.
How to correct
Replace “dearer” with “dearest”.
Correct phrase/ correction
the dearest
Final sentence
Commodity prices are the dearest in the present economic scenario.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.