Which of the following is CORRECT with respect to grammar and usage? Mount Everest is ________. A. The highest peak in the world B. Highest peak in the world C. One of highest peak in the world D. One of the highest peak in the world

GATE 2016 · General Aptitude · English Grammar · medium

Answer: Option A: 'The highest peak in the world' is grammatically correct — 'the' is mandatory before the superlative 'highest'.

1. Rule: superlative always takes 'the': Superlative adjectives ('highest', 'tallest', 'best') require the definite article 'the' in front. Option B ('Highest peak in the world') omits 'the' — grammatically incorrect.
2. Rule: 'one of the' requires plural noun: Options C and D use the phrase 'one of ... peak'. Option C: 'One of highest peak' — missing 'the' AND uses singular 'peak'. Option D: 'One of the highest peak' — has 'the' but uses singular 'peak'; should be 'peaks'. Both are incorrect.
3. Verify Option A: Option A: 'The highest peak in the world' — uses 'the' before the superlative 'highest', uses singular noun 'peak' correctly (it is the unique one). This is grammatically perfect.