Question

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence:
Only a just king would treat those who have been driven to petty crimes so mercifully.
A. Those who had been driven to petty crimes only a just king would treat so mercifully.
B. Only a just king would treat those so mercifully who have been driven to petty crimes.
C. Only a just king would treat so mercifully those who have been driven to petty crimes.
D. No change.

Answer 1

Hint: We will look for an option in which the sentence is more convincingly framed. The sentence talks of ‘treating mercifully’. Here, the adverb mercifully modifies the verb treat. Therefore, they should be together.

Complete step by step answer:
Let us analyze each option individually to know the correct answer.
A. Those who had been driven to petty crimes only a just king would treat so mercifully: In this option, the phrase ‘a king would treat’ is coming later. This option is incorrect.
B. Only a just king would treat those so mercifully who have been driven to petty crimes: In this option, again the word ‘those’ is followed by ‘treat’, which is obstructing the adverb mercifully. Therefore, this is an incorrect option.
C. Only a just king would treat so mercifully those who have been driven to petty crimes: In this option, the phrase ‘treat so mercifully’ is correctly placed. Therefore, this is the correct option.
D. No change: This option is not valid as the change exists.

So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note:
Do not confuse the correct answer for option A. As in option A, the action course is coming later. Example: “The teacher would punish those who have not done their homework”. This is a correctly framed sentence rather than “Those who have not done their homework, the teacher would punish them”.