Question

Select the phrase that is incorrect.

• A. highly educated
• B. highly profitable
• C. highly unusual
• D. highly exhausted

Hint:

Think about which of these adjectives already describes a complete, extreme state on its own.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The word "highly" is an intensifier used before gradable adjectives, ones that can exist in different degrees, such as educated, profitable or unusual. It cannot be paired with an adjective that already expresses an extreme or complete state, because that creates unwanted repetition.

1. highly educated: "Educated" can exist in degrees, from a little educated to very educated, so "highly" fits naturally here.
2. highly profitable: "Profitable" is also gradable, a business can be slightly profitable or highly profitable, so this phrase is correct.
3. highly unusual: "Unusual" allows degrees too, something can be somewhat unusual or highly unusual, so this combination works.
4. highly exhausted: "Exhausted" already means completely and totally tired, an extreme state with no further degree beyond it. Adding "highly" in front repeats the idea of extremity that "exhausted" already carries, making the phrase redundant and incorrect.

The correct option is "highly exhausted" because "exhausted" is a non-gradable adjective and should be paired with words like "completely" or "totally", not with a degree word like "highly".

Let's summarize:

• "Highly" pairs correctly with gradable adjectives such as educated, profitable and unusual.
• "Exhausted" already means an extreme state of tiredness, so pairing it with "highly" is redundant and wrong.

So the incorrect phrase is "highly exhausted", option (d).