From the given alternative words, select the single word that cannot be formed using the letters of the word ELABORATE.

Introduction / Context:
This verbal reasoning question asks you to find which word cannot be formed from the letters of ELABORATE. These problems evaluate your precision in handling letter counts and detecting missing letters. The correct option will either introduce a letter not found in ELABORATE or require a letter more times than it appears there.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Base word: ELABORATE.
• Letters and frequencies: E(2), L(1), A(2), B(1), O(1), R(1), T(1).
• Options: BRUTAL, RELATE, EARLOBE, BERATE.
• Assumption: Only letters from ELABORATE may be used and each letter can be used at most as many times as its frequency in the base word.

Concept / Approach:
The method is to list the letters and frequencies of the base word and then test each option carefully. You check whether each letter in an option is present in ELABORATE and whether its required frequency does not exceed what is available. If any option contains a missing letter, such as U, or uses more of a letter than allowed, it cannot be formed and becomes the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note letter frequencies in ELABORATE: E(2), L(1), A(2), B(1), O(1), R(1), T(1).Step 2: Check BRUTAL: letters B, R, U, T, A, L. Here the letter U appears, but there is no U in ELABORATE. Thus BRUTAL cannot be formed.Step 3: Check RELATE: letters R, E, L, A, T, E. Required counts are R(1), E(2), L(1), A(1), T(1), which are all within the available frequencies. So RELATE can be formed.Step 4: Check EARLOBE: letters E, A, R, L, O, B, E. Required counts E(2), A(1), R(1), L(1), O(1), B(1) also match the base word, so EARLOBE can be formed.Step 5: Check BERATE: letters B, E, R, A, T, E. Required counts B(1), E(2), R(1), A(1), T(1) are within the available frequencies, so BERATE can be formed.

Verification / Alternative check:

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
RELATE is not the correct answer because it draws entirely on letters present in ELABORATE and respects the frequency counts.EARLOBE is not the correct answer as it also uses only existing letters, and the counts for E and A stay within the available numbers.BERATE is not the correct answer since its letters are fully covered by ELABORATE with proper frequencies.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes focus on the length or apparent difficulty of options and might wrongly suspect longer words like EARLOBE or BERATE. The key, however, is not word length but letter presence and frequency. Another pitfall is failing to notice a missing letter like U in BRUTAL. A disciplined check of letters and counts for each option helps avoid these mistakes.

Final Answer:
The word that cannot be formed using the letters of ELABORATE is BRUTAL.