SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 23 September 2025, Shift 3 · English Comprehension · Question 13 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.

Fill the correct degree of comparison: Of all the solutions proposed, this one is by far the _____.

(a)more cost-effective
(b)most cost-effective
(c)cost-effectiver
(d)much cost-effective

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Two phrases in the sentence set the degree.

Of all the solutions proposed measures one solution against the whole group, and one-against-the-group takes the superlative.

By far the then stresses the size of the lead: by far the best, by far the cheapest.

Cost-effective forms its superlative with most: most cost-effective → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
more cost-effective — More cost-effective is the comparative, which weighs two things: the more cost-effective of the two. 'Of all the solutions' sets one against the whole group.
(c)
cost-effectiver — Cost-effectiver is not a word. Effective forms its degrees with more and most, and so does the compound cost-effective.
(d)
much cost-effective — Much strengthens a comparative, as in much more cost-effective. 'The much cost-effective' is no degree of comparison at all, and 'Of all' needs the superlative.

Concept

Adjectives have three degrees: positive (cost-effective), comparative (more cost-effective) and superlative (most cost-effective).

The comparative weighs two things. The superlative sets one thing against every other member of a group, which is what Of all the solutions proposed does.

By far is an intensifier. Before a superlative it means 'by a great margin': by far the best.

By far alone does not settle the answer, since it can also follow a comparative (better by far). The deciding clue is Of all, which names a whole group.

Key facts

Positive, comparative, superlative: cost-effective, more cost-effective, most cost-effective.
The comparative compares two (the taller of the two). The superlative compares one with a group (the tallest of all).
Effective has no -er or -est forms. It takes more and most.
Much and far intensify comparatives: much more cost-effective, far better.

Study next

Irregular comparison: good, better, best and bad, worse, worstComparatives that take to instead of than: senior to, superior toDouble comparatives: more taller, most best

Common traps

Choosing more cost-effective because 'the more' sounds natural. The + comparative needs a pair: the more cost-effective of the two.
Choosing much cost-effective because much sounds emphatic, like by far. Much strengthens a comparative and does not form one.

A superlative after an 'of all' group is keyed at 24 Sep 2024, 16:00, English Q.7, where 'the most good of all the suits' becomes the best.

The two-way comparative is keyed at 19 Sep 2025, 12:30, English Q.15, where 'more tall than his brother' becomes taller than.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Fill in the blank — all 96 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.