Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given
sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution’.
We live in a populated country of 120 million people.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. populous.
Error Concept: The word “populated” is incorrect in this context. “Populated” is generally used as a past participle to indicate the act of people inhabiting a place, whereas “populous” is the correct adjective to describe a country or place having a large population.
Grammatical Explanation:
Incorrect: populated country → focuses on the action of being inhabited.
Correct: populous country → describes a country with many people.
Correction: We live in a populous country of 120 million people.
Final Sentence: We live in a populous country of 120 million people.
Conclusion: Use “populous” for countries, cities, or regions with large populations, not “populated.”