MAH-CET 2026 — English PYQ

Correct Answer: (b) He is older than me

Detailed Explanation

This question tests your knowledge of the proper usage of comparative adjectives, specifically the differences between "older" and "elder".

The definitive grammatical rules for comparing ages between two entities are:

$$\text{Rule 1: Subject}+\text{is}+\text{older}+\text{than}+\text{Object}$$

$$\text{Rule 2: Subject}+\text{is}+\text{elder}+\text{to}+\text{Object}$$

• Older vs. Elder: Both terms are comparative forms, but "older" is always paired with the conjunction "than" when making a direct comparison. "Elder" is generally reserved for biological family relationships and is structurally paired with the preposition "to" (e.g., He is elder to me), never with than.

• Since the sentence explicitly uses the comparative marker "than", we are required to choose the adjective "older".

This flawlessly satisfies the structural equation for option (b): "He is older than me."