Question

Which of the following is the correct form of expression for the underlined part of the sentence below?
Patna is not only the capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the oldest cities in the world and the largest city in the state.

• A. capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the oldest
• B. capital of Bihar, nevertheless also one of the oldest
• C. Bihar’s capital city, and it is also one of the older
• D. Bihar’s capital city, but it is also one of the older
• E. capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the older

Hint:

When dealing with sentence correction, always check for: 1. Parallelism in paired structures (“not only... but also”). 2. Correct use of comparative vs. superlative (older vs. oldest). 3. Idiomatic usage — avoid words that disrupt the intended logical connector.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Analyze the sentence structure.
The sentence begins with “Patna is not only the capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the oldest cities...” This construction requires parallelism: “not only X, but also Y.”
Step 2: Check each option.
(A) “capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the oldest” — maintains parallelism, grammatical correctness, and appropriate meaning.
(B) “capital of Bihar, nevertheless also one of the oldest” — incorrect because “nevertheless” breaks the required parallel structure and is less idiomatic here.
(C) “Bihar’s capital city, and it is also one of the older” — uses “older” instead of “oldest,” which changes the intended superlative meaning.
(D) “Bihar’s capital city, but it is also one of the older” — same problem with “older” instead of “oldest.”
(E) “capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the older” — again, “older” is comparative, not superlative.
Step 3: Final Selection.
Only (A) preserves correct grammar, maintains “not only... but also” construction, and uses the correct superlative form “oldest.” \[ \boxed{\text{capital of Bihar, but it is also one of the oldest}} \]