Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the highlighted segment in the given sentence.
The performance of the musicians was rather worst than expected by the audience.

Correct option is C

The correct substitution of the highlighted words is (c) worse than expected.
Explanation:
The word "worst" is a superlative form, which is incorrect when comparing two things. "Worse" is the comparative form and is appropriate here.
Grammatical rule used:
· Use comparative adjectives (e.g., better, worse) to compare two things.
· Use superlative adjectives (e.g., best, worst) when comparing more than two.
Example:
❌ He is worst than me.
✅ He is worse than me.
�� Information Booster: Always pair “than” with comparative adjectives like better, worse, greater, etc.