Which word should replace the underlined word? “Of all the trails at the state park, the canyon trail is the [steeper] one.”

Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grades 6–7 writing. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Reporting category 2: find and fix an error in a short text. On the real test some of these are typed answers or sentence rewrites. Here they are multiple choice so they can be checked.

The question

Read the sentence. The underlined part has an error.

Of all the trails at the state park, the canyon trail is the [steeper] one. Which word should replace the underlined word?

• AsteepestCorrect answer
• Bmost steepest
• Cmore steeper
• Dsteeply

Why “steepest” is correct

This tests the difference between comparatives and superlatives. "Of all the trails" means more than two things are being compared, so the sentence needs the superlative form, "steepest." The comparative "steeper" is used for exactly two things.

Why the other answers are wrong

• most steepest — This uses "most" and -est together; only one is needed.
• more steeper — This uses "more" and -er together, and it is still a comparative, not a superlative.
• steeply — "Steeply" is an adverb and cannot describe the noun "one."

Practice more of this

More writing practice for Grades 6–7, or see the TELPAS practice test for 6th and 7th grade.