"A common misconception among writers is that sentence structure mirrors thought; the more _________ the structure, the more complicated the ideas." The word that best fills the blank in the above sentence is A. detailed B. simple C. clear D. convoluted

GATE 2018 · General Aptitude · Most Appropriate Word · medium

Answer: Option D (convoluted) is correct. The misconception is that a convoluted (intricate, difficult) sentence structure mirrors complicated ideas.

1. Analyse the comparative structure: 'The more ___ the structure, the more complicated the ideas.' The blank must be a descriptor of structure that increases as ideas get more complicated. It describes what writers wrongly treat as a badge of complex thinking.
2. Evaluate each option: A. detailed - 'detailed structure' suggests thoroughness, not necessarily complexity; a writer might write detailed AND simple sentences. B. simple - opposite of complicated; 'the more simple, the more complicated' is contradictory. C. clear - also opposite of complicated; 'the more clear, the more complicated' is contradictory. D. convoluted - means twisted and complex; 'the more convoluted the structure, the more complicated the ideas' is a coherent (even if wrong) belief that complex-sounding sentences reflect complex thought.