SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 20 September 2025, Shift 1 · English Comprehension · Question 16 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: The report was more preferable (1)/ to the previous version (2)/ due to its structured layout (3)/ and clarity of language. (4)/

(a)(1)
(b)(2)
(c)(3)
(d)(4)

Answer

Why

Correct — A. The error is more preferable in segment (1).

Preferable already means 'more desirable', so more doubles a comparison the adjective makes by itself.

Drop more: 'The report was preferable to the previous version ...'. Segment (2) already has the right preposition, to, so nothing else changes → option (a).

Why the others are wrong

(b)
(2) — to the previous version is correct as printed. Preferable takes to, not than: this is preferable to that. Writing than here would create an error.
(c)
(3) — due to its structured layout gives the reason, and its correctly refers back to the singular report. Nothing in the segment clashes with the rest of the sentence.
(d)
(4) — and clarity of language pairs with 'its structured layout': two noun phrases joined by and, both reasons after due to. The pairing is parallel and correct.

Concept

Preferable already means 'more desirable' or 'better suited', so the comparison is built into the word. Adding more doubles it, the way 'more better' does.

The thing it is compared with takes to, not than: this plan is preferable to that one. Superior, inferior, senior, junior and prior also take to.

The repaired sentence: 'The report was preferable to the previous version due to its structured layout and clarity of language.'

Segment (3) uses due to to mean because of. Some older usage books objected to that, but modern dictionaries accept it, and the key places the error in segment (1).

Key facts

Preferable means more desirable, so 'more preferable' is a double comparison.
Preferable takes to: X is preferable to Y.
Superior, inferior, senior, junior and prior also take to, not than.

Study next

Double comparatives such as more better and more preferableAdjectives that take to instead of than: superior, inferior, senior, junior, priorPrefer X to Y, and prefer to do X rather than do Y

Common traps

Marking segment (2) because to looks odd after a comparison, when preferable takes to and than would be the error
Flagging due to in segment (3) from the older 'because of' rule, and missing the double comparison in (1)

The to-rule is tested with superior: 'is superior than' is the keyed error at 12 Sep 2024, 09:00, English Q.13, and 'superior than him' at 23 Sep 2024, 12:30, English Q.8.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Error spotting — all 121 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.