In an English sentence improvement question, choose the correct alternative for the underlined part in the sentence: "Hole wheat bread is good for health."

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Whole

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement item focuses on spelling and correct word choice in a common phrase. The sentence "Hole wheat bread is good for health" contains a wrong spelling that changes the meaning of the adjective. Competitive English exams often test such subtle errors to assess attention to detail and vocabulary knowledge.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Original sentence: "Hole wheat bread is good for health."
  • The underlined word is "Hole".
  • Options: Whole, Healthy, Holed, No improvement.
  • The intended phrase in standard English is "whole wheat bread".


Concept / Approach:
"Whole wheat bread" refers to bread made from flour that uses the entire grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm, making it healthier. The word "hole" means an empty space or opening, which does not fit this context. Therefore, we must select the correct adjective "whole" rather than any other option. The approach is to recall the standard collocation used in English for this type of bread.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the incorrect part: "Hole wheat bread". Step 2: Recall the common food item: "whole wheat bread". This is the normal term used in health discussions. Step 3: Compare "hole" and "whole": "hole" refers to an opening or gap, while "whole" means entire or complete. Step 4: Test option "Whole": "Whole wheat bread is good for health." This is correct and natural English. Step 5: Test "Healthy": "Healthy wheat bread is good for health" is redundant and not the standard phrase; "healthy" describes something that promotes health but is not the correct noun modifier here. Step 6: Test "Holed": "Holed wheat bread" would mean bread that has holes, which is meaningless in this expression. Step 7: Test "No improvement": Keeping "Hole" would preserve the spelling error and distort the intended meaning.


Verification / Alternative check:
Look at how health articles and packaging refer to this kind of bread. You will consistently see "whole wheat bread" written on labels and in nutrition guides. Dictionaries also recognise "whole wheat" as a fixed expression for this type of flour and bread. This reinforces that "whole" is the correct choice, and the original "hole" is simply a spelling mistake that changes the meaning completely.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Healthy: Although health-related, it does not form the standard phrase "healthy wheat bread", and it changes the grammar of the sentence awkwardly.
  • Holed: Means having holes in it, which does not describe a type of wheat or bread in this context.
  • No improvement: Would accept the incorrect spelling "Hole", which is clearly wrong in standard usage.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes overlook spelling errors when concentrating on grammar alone. In sentence improvement questions, you must check both spelling and idiomatic usage. Words like "hole" and "whole" are homophones (sound the same but have different meanings and spellings), so exam setters use them to test careful reading. Paying close attention to context will help you choose the right word in such questions.


Final Answer:
The sentence should be corrected to: "Whole wheat bread is good for health."

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