A student should be...to his teachers.

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

The sentence structure 'A student should be...' requires an adjective to describe the subject ('student').
The verb phrase 'should be' acts as a linking verb, connecting the subject to a word that describes its state or quality.
'Respectful' is an adjective that means showing or feeling respect, which correctly describes the expected quality of a student towards their teachers.
This choice fulfills the grammatical requirement for a subject complement and fits the sentence's meaning perfectly.

Option B: While 'respectable' is an adjective, it means 'regarded by society to be good, proper, or correct.' It describes a person's general standing, not their specific behavior of showing respect to someone else.
Option C: 'Respect' is a noun (a feeling) or a verb (an action). It cannot function as an adjective to describe the student in this sentence structure.
Option D: 'Respectfully' is an adverb. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It cannot modify a noun ('student').

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Grammar: Parts of Speech (Adjective vs. Adverb vs. Noun) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In nursing, clear and grammatically correct communication is essential for patient safety, accurate documentation, and effective interprofessional collaboration (SRC_25847).
Using the correct part of speech ensures that instructions, reports, and patient education are unambiguous and professional.
What if? If a nurse wrote in a patient's chart, 'The patient was cooperative and respect,' the sentence is grammatically incorrect and unprofessional. The correct word would be 'respectful,' which accurately describes the patient's demeanor.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the sentence structure. Identify the subject ('student') and the verb phrase ('should be').
Recognize that 'should be' is a linking verb phrase. Linking verbs connect the subject to a word that describes or renames it.
Determine the part of speech needed to fill the blank. A word that describes a noun (the student) is an adjective.
Evaluate the given options to see which one is an adjective that fits the context.
Eliminate 'Respect' (noun/verb) and 'Respectfully' (adverb) as they are grammatically incorrect.
Choose between the two adjectives, 'Respectful' and 'Respectable,' based on the specific meaning. 'Respectful' (showing respect) is more appropriate than 'Respectable' (worthy of respect) in the context of behavior towards teachers.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QWCMIf19blhu48otlbyp8h

E6 Essentials of Educational Technology Nursing EducationL Gopichandran C Kanniammal (pp 39-344 of 355) p. 299-301

E6 Nursing Education & Educational TechnologySuresh k Sharma (pp 21-557 of 572) p. 182-184

Practise the full MNS 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.