Question

Choose the alternative which can best improve the given sentence by substituting the italicised portion. If the sentence is correct as it is, your answer is (d).
She cut a sad figure in her first performance on the stage.

• A. made a sorry figure
• B. cut a sorry face
• C. cut a sorry figure
• D. no improvement

Hint:

She cut a sad figure in her first performance on the stage.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The given sentence is:

She cut a sad figure in her first performance on the stage.

We need to find the best alternative that improves the italicized portion without altering the intended meaning. The expression "cut a sad figure" is evaluated by looking at the options.

1. made a sorry figure: This expression is not commonly used. The word "made" does not fit well in this context as it alters the intended idiomatic meaning.
2. cut a sorry face: This phrase is incorrect because "cut a face" does not exist as an idiomatic expression in English.
3. cut a sorry figure: This is a well-known idiomatic expression that means someone presented themselves poorly or as pitiful or ineffective. This is a suitable and more appropriate substitute for "cut a sad figure."
4. no improvement: The phrase "cut a sad figure" is not precisely idiomatic in English. Given that "cut a sorry figure" is the correct idiom, improvement is indeed needed.

Thus, the correct choice is "cut a sorry figure." It is the appropriate expression that improves the sentence, keeping the context and meaning intact.