Complete the following sentence with the most suitable option:
"I didn't know ____ in the party."

Question

Complete the following sentence with the most suitable option: 
"I didn't know ____ in the party."

Accepted Answer

Here is the explanation for the given question:

**Explanation:**

The correct answer is **Option 3: anybody**.

1.  **Why Option 3 ("anybody") is correct:**
    *   "Anybody" (along with "anyone," "anything," "anywhere") is typically used in negative sentences and questions.
    *   The sentence "I didn't know ____ in the party" is a negative sentence because of the presence of "didn't" (did not).
    *   In standard English, when expressing a negative idea, we use "any-" words. So, "I didn't know anybody" correctly conveys the meaning that the speaker did not know a single person at the party. It means "I knew no one."

2.  **Why Option 1 ("somebody") is incorrect:**
    *   "Somebody" (along with "someone," "something," "somewhere") is generally used in affirmative sentences or in questions where an affirmative answer is expected.
    *   Using "I didn't know somebody" is grammatically awkward and incorrect in this context. While "somebody" refers to an unspecified person, its use with a negative verb like "didn't know" is not standard for expressing a general lack of acquaintance. The natural and correct way to express this negative idea is with "anybody."

3.  **Why Option 2 ("nobody") is incorrect:**
    *   "Nobody" is a negative word itself (meaning "no person").
    *   Using "I didn't know nobody" creates a double negative ("didn't" + "nobody"). In standard English, double negatives are considered grammatically incorrect and often change the intended meaning. "I didn't know nobody" would technically mean "I knew somebody," which is the opposite of what the sentence intends to convey. To express the intended meaning with "nobody," one would say "I knew nobody in the party" (without "didn't").

4.  **Why Option 4 ("someone") is incorrect:**
    *   Similar to "somebody," "someone" is used in affirmative sentences or in questions where an affirmative answer is expected.
    *   Using "I didn't know someone" is grammatically incorrect for the same reasons as "somebody" in this negative context. The correct word to use after a negative verb to indicate "not a single person" is "anybody."