Choose the alternative that best improves the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select ‘‘no improvement’’. The trick is in (keep) the flavours simple and fresh.

Introduction / Context:

Sentence improvement questions test your understanding of correct grammatical patterns and common English expressions. In this sentence, the writer is explaining the key to success in preparing food: keeping the flavours simple and fresh. The phrase the trick is in is a fixed structure that is typically followed by a gerund (verb plus ing) when describing an activity or method.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Original sentence: The trick is in (keep) the flavours simple and fresh.

- Options: keeping, keeps, to keep, no improvement.

- The subject is the trick and the phrase is in introduces the manner or method.

- We assume the intended meaning is that the essential method involves keeping flavours simple and fresh.

Concept / Approach:

After expressions like the trick is in, the secret lies in, or the problem is in, English usually uses a gerund to describe the relevant action or activity. Keeping works as a gerund here, acting like a noun and describing the ongoing approach to flavours. Other forms such as keeps or to keep would change the structure and break the idiomatic flow. Therefore, we must choose the ing form to maintain correct grammar and natural usage.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

As an alternative, observe related sentences: The secret lies in choosing fresh ingredients. The success is in timing the dish correctly. In each case, choosing and timing are gerunds following in. Using keeps or to keep in those patterns would sound ungrammatical. The same logic applies to the current sentence, confirming that keeping is necessary to preserve the pattern.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Keeps is wrong because it is a finite verb form that needs its own subject and does not function as a noun phrase after in. To keep is wrong because the phrase would need to change to the trick is to keep rather than the trick is in to keep. No improvement is wrong because the base verb keep cannot appear directly after in without ing in this type of construction. Therefore, all these alternatives break the expected grammatical pattern.

Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes confuse two correct patterns: the trick is to keep and the trick is in keeping. They may try to mix them and produce incorrect forms like the trick is in to keep or the trick is keep. To avoid this, remember that is to plus base verb is one pattern, and is in plus gerund is another; do not combine them in a single phrase. Choosing one pattern and applying it consistently ensures grammatical accuracy.

Final Answer:

The bracketed part should be replaced with keeping, so the correct sentence is: The trick is in keeping the flavours simple and fresh.