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Question

Difficulty: MediumComparatives and Superlatives

The following sentence compares the physical characteristics of two whale species. Complete the sentence by determining the correct comparative form of the adjective 'large' and the correct comparative conjunction. Which words correctly fill the blanks?

Answer:Although both the blue whale and the fin whale are massive marine mammals, the blue whale is the 【larger】 of the two species, measuring several feet longer 【than】 its close relative.

Answer

The correct words to fill the blanks are 'larger' for the first blank and 'than' for the second blank.
The comparative form 'larger' is correct because the sentence compares exactly two species: the blue whale and the fin whale. The comparative conjunction 'than' is correct because it is used to introduce the second element of a comparison.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the number of items being compared to choose the correct adjective form.
Two items are compared: the blue whale and the fin whale.
When comparing exactly two items, the comparative form ending in '-er' (or preceded by 'more') must be used instead of the superlative form. Thus, the adjective 'large' becomes 'larger'.
2
Select the correct word to introduce the second element of the comparison.
The comparative conjunction 'than' must be used.
The word 'than' is used to connect the two elements of a comparison, whereas 'then' is an adverb indicating time or sequence.

Key Concept

Using comparative adjective forms when comparing exactly two items, and utilizing the conjunction 'than' to link the comparison.
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Topics

Comparatives and Superlatives

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