The teacher was … hasty in meting out punishment

Analyze the question: The sentence is "The teacher was ___ hasty in meting out punishment." The blank comes before the adjective "hasty", so we need a word that works as an adverb of degree modifying that adjective.

Concept: Different degree words behave differently.

• more needs a comparison: "more hasty than…". Without "than", it sounds incomplete.
• much doesn't normally modify a plain adjective like this. We say "much too hasty" or "very hasty", not "much hasty".
• scarcely means "hardly". "Scarcely hasty" would mean he was almost not hasty, which doesn't fit "meting out punishment" as a criticism.
• somewhat means "to a certain extent" or "rather". It modifies adjectives naturally: "somewhat hasty".

Solution: Test each option in the sentence.

• A. "The teacher was more hasty in meting out punishment" has no comparison, so it is incomplete.
• B. "The teacher was much hasty…" is ungrammatical.
• C. "The teacher was scarcely hasty…" gives the wrong meaning and tone.
• D. "The teacher was somewhat hasty in meting out punishment" is grammatical and makes sense. It means the teacher was rather hasty.

Tip: When a blank sits directly before an adjective, look for degree adverbs such as somewhat, rather, quite, very, fairly. Eliminate more if there is no "than", and remember that much usually needs "too" or "so" (much too, so much) before an adjective.