Correlative comparison — parenthetical "if not": Improve the comparative structure. Original sentence: "Ramesh is as tall if not, taller than Mahesh." Choose the best correction.
Verbal Ability
Sentence Correction
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
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Anot as tall but
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Bnot so tall but as
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Cas tall as, if not
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Das if not
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ENo correction required
Answer
Correct Answer: as tall as, if not
Explanation
Given data
- Comparison of height between Ramesh and Mahesh with a parenthetical hedge ("if not …").
Concept/ApproachThe natural pattern is as + adj + as, optionally followed by a parenthetical: ", if not + comparative". So we first complete "as tall as (Mahesh)", then add ", if not taller".
Option analysisC. "as tall as, if not" → supplies the missing second "as" and positions the parenthetical correctly. ✔ (Full reading: "as tall as, if not taller than, Mahesh.")A/B/D/E → incorrect or incomplete structures; punctuation and correlative markers are wrong.
Corrected sentence (expanded)"Ramesh is as tall as, if not taller than, Mahesh."
Common pitfallsForgetting the second "as" in the as … as construction.
Final Answeras tall as, if not