Question

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:

He walked slowly lest he should fall.

• A. in order to not fall
• B. so that he may not fall
• C. lest he fall
• D. for fear of falling

Answer 1

Answer:

C. lest he fall

• Grammar Rule for "Lest":

  • The conjunction "lest" means "for fear that" or "to prevent the possibility of."

  • In formal/standard English, "lest" is followed by a subjunctive mood verb (the base form of the verb without any suffix like -s or -ed) or the modal "should".

  • Therefore, both "lest he should fall" and "lest he fall" are grammatically correct and interchangeable in standard English.

• Replacing the Clause: Among the given options, "lest he fall" is the most precise and direct subjunctive replacement that maintains the exact formal structure and meaning of the original sentence without introducing unnecessary wordiness or altering the conjunction.