Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by selecting the correct article phrase: The famous Dr. Gupta (is only) physician in our village.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of articles and the correct use of the phrase "the only" before a singular noun. In English, when we talk about a unique person or thing in a particular context, we use the definite article "the" before "only." The sentence is about Dr. Gupta, who is the single physician in the village, so we must select the correct structure to express this uniqueness.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is "The famous Dr. Gupta."
• The bracketed part is "is only" followed by the noun "physician."
• The intended meaning is that there is just one physician in the village.
• We need a grammatically and idiomatically correct phrase to show that uniqueness.

Concept / Approach:
In English, when "only" is used as an adjective before a singular countable noun, it is almost always preceded by the definite article "the," not "a" or "an." Thus, we say "the only doctor," "the only student," or "the only book." The structure "is the only physician" correctly indicates that Dr. Gupta is the single person with that role in the village. Our task is to choose the option that forms this standard pattern.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the noun that "only" modifies. Here, it modifies "physician." Step 2: Recognise that "physician" is a singular countable noun referring to a specific role. Step 3: Recall the rule that usually we say "the only" plus singular noun when we refer to a unique person or thing in a given group. Step 4: Construct the correct phrase: "is the only physician." Step 5: Place it back in the sentence: "The famous Dr. Gupta is the only physician in our village." The sentence now clearly expresses that there is no other physician there.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can compare similar sentences. For example, "She is the only child in the family" sounds correct, whereas "She is a only child" does not. Likewise, "He is the only teacher who lives in this area" is right, not "an only teacher." Following this pattern, "is the only physician" is the appropriate phrase for Dr. Gupta.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: "is a only" is ungrammatical because the indefinite article "a" does not combine with "only" in this way. We do not say "a only doctor." Option B: "is an only" is also incorrect. Although "an" is used before vowel sounds, the structure "an only physician" is not idiomatic English in this context. Option D: "No improvement" is wrong because "is only physician" lacks an article before "physician," which makes the noun phrase incomplete and ungrammatical.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to forget the article before "only" or to use the wrong article. Students may focus on the meaning of "only" and ignore the need for a proper article before a singular countable noun. Another pitfall is overusing "a" or "an" without checking whether the noun is meant to be unique or one of many. Remember that "the only" emphasises that there is just one, which is exactly the idea of the sentence given in the question.

Final Answer:
The correct improvement is "is the only," so the full sentence should read: The famous Dr. Gupta is the only physician in our village.