In the following sentence, the highlighted part contains an error. Alternatives to the highlighted part are given as options. Select the correct alternative.
"The children were merry than usual on Sunday."

The correct replacement is (a) "merrier."
Explanation:
· The correct comparative form of "merry" is "merrier" because of the "-y to -ier" spelling rule.
· "Than" indicates a comparison, so "merrier" is correct.
Other Options:
· (b) "More merrier" – Incorrect, double comparatives are not used.
· (c) "Merriest" – Incorrect, as it is the superlative form.
· (d) "The merriest" – Incorrect, as it does not fit the comparative structure.
Corrected Sentence:
· "The children were merrier than usual on Sunday."
Example Sentence:
· "She was merrier than before after hearing the good news."