Improve the following sentence by choosing the most appropriate alternative. If no improvement is needed, select the option corresponding to “No improvement”. Sentence: He decided to take the help of a guide lest he may miss the way.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement question focuses on the correct use of the conjunction “lest”. The sentence “He decided to take the help of a guide lest he may miss the way” aims to express that he took a guide in order to avoid missing the way. You must select the alternative that uses the correct verb form after “lest”.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Original sentence: “He decided to take the help of a guide lest he may miss the way.”
• The word “lest” introduces a clause that expresses fear or a negative purpose (to prevent something bad).
• Standard English usage typically requires “should” or sometimes a bare verb after “lest”, not “may” or “will”.
• The sentence refers to a possible future event that the subject wants to avoid.

Concept / Approach:
The conjunction “lest” has a formal flavour and usually takes:

• “lest + subject + should + base verb”
• or “lest + subject + base verb” in very formal or older style.

Using “may” or “will” after “lest” is non standard. Therefore, we must:

• Replace “may” with “should” in this context.
• Keep the rest of the clause unchanged so that the meaning remains “in order to prevent missing the way”.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise the function of “lest” here. It shows the reason for taking a guide: to avoid the danger of missing the way. Step 2: Recall the correct structure: “lest he should miss the way” is the accepted pattern in standard English. The “should” conveys a potential risk that we want to prevent. Step 3: Compare this to “lest he may miss the way” in the original sentence. “May” suggests possibility but does not fit the usual grammatical pattern after “lest”. Step 4: Choose the option that replaces “may” with “should” while leaving the rest of the sentence intact: “He decided to take the help of a guide lest he should miss the way.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the improved sentence: “He decided to take the help of a guide lest he should miss the way.” It clearly expresses that he took a guide in order to avoid the possibility of getting lost. The phrase sounds natural and follows the rule that “lest” should be followed by “should” plus the base form of the verb. No other option matches both the grammar and the intended meaning as precisely.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B: “lest he will miss the way” uses “will”, which is not standard after “lest” and feels awkward. “Will” suggests certainty rather than a possibility that one wishes to avoid.
Option C: “lest he might fail to see the way” slightly changes the wording and uses “might fail to see” instead of “miss”. Although “might” is possible in some contexts, the form with “should miss” is more standard and precise in examination style English.
Option D: “No improvement” would keep “lest he may miss the way”, which is not idiomatic and does not follow the standard pattern.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often forget that words like “lest” and “in case” have specific grammatical patterns. It is easy to treat them as general conjunctions and attach any modal verb after them. To avoid this, remember that “lest” is followed either by “should” plus base verb or by the bare verb in very formal style. In exam questions, the structure “lest he should + base verb” is usually the safest and most correct choice.

Final Answer:
The improved sentence is He decided to take the help of a guide lest he should miss the way.