Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. He didn’t believe…
2019
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
He didn’t believe ______ I said.
- A.
what
- B.
which
- C.
the
- D.
for
Attempted by 205 students.
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Correct answer: A
Answer: what
Explanation: "what I said" is a noun clause that means "the things that I said" and serves as the object of the verb "believed."
Why "what" is correct: "what" introduces a free-standing content clause (the things that...), which can function as the direct object of "believed."
Why "which" is wrong: "which" normally refers back to a specific noun and cannot introduce a free-standing content clause. It needs an antecedent noun.
Why "the" is wrong: "the" is a determiner and must be followed by a noun (for example, "the things I said"). Alone it cannot form the required clause.
Why "for" is wrong: "for" does not introduce a clause meaning "the things that..."; as a conjunction it typically means "because" and would require a different structure, so "for I said" is ungrammatical here.
Equivalent phrasing: "He didn't believe the things I said." or simply "He didn't believe me."
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