The following sentence has a blank that must be filled with an appropriate word. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentence: He loves you _____ than me.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence completion question checks the correct use of comparative forms in English. It compares the degree of love that one person has for you and for me. The blank must be filled with a word that can form a grammatically correct and meaningful comparison following the verb loves. Understanding how English forms comparatives of adjectives and adverbs is important for many exam questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentence given is He loves you _____ than me. The options are closer, nearer, higher, and more. We assume that the intended meaning is that his love for you is greater in degree than his love for me. The comparative structure is similar to patterns like likes you more than me or respects you more than others.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the verb love is often modified by the adverb more when making comparisons of intensity or degree, as in love someone more than another person. The words closer, nearer, and higher are comparatives of adjectives referring largely to physical or metaphorical distance or level, and they do not typically follow love in this sense. Therefore, the only natural and grammatically correct choice in this sentence is more, which forms the comparative structure love more than.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the idea being expressed: a comparison in the degree of love between two people. Step 2: Recall that the common pattern is He loves X more than Y. Step 3: Insert each option into the blank and read the sentence: He loves you closer than me, He loves you nearer than me, He loves you higher than me, He loves you more than me. Step 4: Observe that only He loves you more than me sounds natural and clearly expresses greater affection. Step 5: Choose more as the correct option to form the standard comparative expression.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can cross check by creating similar sentences. For example, The teacher likes this student more than any other or She trusts you more than she trusts me are common structures. If we try to say She trusts you nearer than me or likes you higher than me, the result is awkward and incorrect. These comparisons confirm that more is the word that naturally fits with loves in a comparative construction of this kind.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Closer is a comparative form of close and usually describes distance, as in This house is closer than that one. It does not pair directly with loves in this sentence.
Nearer is similar to closer and again focuses on physical or metaphorical nearness; He loves you nearer than me does not follow standard English patterns.
Higher is the comparative of high and is used for height or level, such as higher building or higher score, and is not used to compare amounts of love in this direct way.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students may be tempted by closer or nearer because they loosely associate emotional closeness with those words. However, in formal English grammar, the direct comparative of degree after love is normally formed with more. In exam settings, it is essential to rely on the most widely accepted patterns and collocations rather than free associations. Practising a variety of comparative sentences with verbs like like, love, respect, and prefer will help solidify these structures.

Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence He loves you _____ than me is more.