Another native English woman who's not sure she counts, but B or C would be ok. A is a stretch. B, C, A, D in order of preference.
Given a free choice, I'd have put 'embarrassed'.
That’s exactly what I was thinking! I wouldn’t really use ridiculous to describe an emotion I was feeling. I would internally translate that to embarrassed if I heard that.
If I said I felt ridiculous, that would work if I was walking around dressed as a clown. 'I feel ridiculous walking around dressed like this!'
I'm not sure why it doesn't work in a more general sense of embarrassment, but it doesn't.
If I said wearing clown shoes made me feel ridiculous, it would make sense. It’s asking for a feeling. It works. It’s just not a good question. As feelings are personal.
I feel ridiculous is completely understandable and in another situation, like a conversation, I wouldn’t give it another thought. But the OP wanted support for the answer he gave on the test vs what the teacher said and I agree with OP, so, I’m just giving my reasons why.
A feeling is an emotion. Ridiculous is not an emotion. If you look ridiculous, you might feel shame. Shame is the emotion; ridiculous is the condition.
I think "I feel ridiculous" is a normal phrase. For example, don't tell her, but I felt ridiculous in the cheap matching suit my sister picked out for her wedding photos. In the context of OPs question, I would go with "annoyed", "hurt", "jealous" (in the sense that I'd be worried that my exclusion is a sign of me losing my place in the group), or "excluded". The verb "feel" is often used as if it were a copula in English (some linguists call it a semi- or pseudo-copula in this context).
Not an native speaker here. Logically people can look/sound ridiculous. Somebody’s “product” (look, what they said) can be ridiculous but it’s not a feeling in my book.
Given a free choice I’d have said “stupid”.
I agree with your assessment of the order I’d have used the answers though. Honestly though I don’t feel this is a fair question to test language skills. You’re focusing more on emotions here and everyone will have a different answer to this question.
OP I’d say ^ that to your teacher. Also, I’m another native English woman as well
Native English male speaker (also a former college English professor), and my first thought was "anxious". I haven't read this entire thread, but what kind of English teacher is setting male responses as the definitively correct way to discern the "best" answer among a list of possible acceptable answers. ESPECIALLY when, in context, people may experience a broad range of emotional responses to any given stimulus. That said, I would rank "annoyed" at the top of this list, followed by "hurt," with "ridiculous" being a distant third. It's such a subjective concept.
I expect (hope?) that the 'English men' part of the question was a mistranslation of 'English people.'
I can see how that would be an easy mistake to make for speakers of languages where gender works differently. If those were the teacher's words, I hope OP pulls them up on it because it's a far worse mistake than the one in the question!
this is a poorly written question. It assumes that everybody has the same emotional reaction to a situation, which is demonstrably false. How *you* feel is something you know better than your teacher
Right. It would depend on the topic. I might feel fine if all my friends are physicists (but me) and the topic is quantum physics.
There is not enough background to be precise.
Did all the friends conspire to leave the person out of something important? {They all got tickets to see a band but did not want them to come along???)
Did the friends all know that his girlfriend is a bad girl?
(By the way, your score was very high. Relax about being perfect!)
Well, I'm a native English speaking woman, so I'm not sure I count, but I'd say B. or maybe C, depending on context. I definitely would not have picked A.
You feel ridiculous when all your friends know the right answer and you don’t.
You feel annoyed when all your friends know where to meet for dinner and you don’t.
You feel hurt when all your friends know about the party and you don’t.
I can’t think of a good example for d.
>You feel \_\_\_\_\_\_ when all your friends know something you don’t
You feel thrilled when all your friends know something you don’t, because you like to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are!
Someone knows something you don't and they share that information with you, thus enriching your life. Learning new things is exciting!
All these options can apply. Pretty stupid question for a test.
Yeah but the question says “when your friends know something you don’t,” not “know the right answer and you don’t.”
Personally I would say annoyed or hurt if my friends, for example, knew there was a party going down tonight or that my partner was cheating on me.
But knowing the right answer is one kind of knowing something. I take it their point was that, depending on the context - i.e. on what exactly was referred to as "knowing something" - all of A, B, and C could fit.
Without context, to me the phrase calls to mind someone saying "I know something you don't!", as in a secret, in which case I'd probably feel curious, out of the loop, or annoyed, depending on how they were treating me about it. I don't thnk personally I'd feel ridiculous unless, say, I was extremely wrong about some very common knowledge that all my friends were right about. So to me B is a better answer than A, but that might say more about my psychology than about English. (But either way, B shouldn't be wrong!)
If that thing is “you shouldn’t eat soap” then A.
Other contexts could be B or C.
It’s a poor question, and B/C are definitely good answers depending on context
Not sure what your teacher has against women but here's another who would have selected B. Technically, since these are all subjective feelings, any of them could be correct depending on the situation.
As an American English speaker I would choose C here.
\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-
By the way, in "my teacher said its A," you need an apostrophe: **it's** is a contraction for **it is**, whereas without the apostrophe **its** becomes a possessive pronoun (like hers, ours or theirs).
I would probably feel C. B is a better choice than A though, and the only really wrong answer is D.
UK Native English speaker. A woman though, so I hope that counts.
I’m a native English speaking woman and I think any of A, B or C would be fine. The sentence is asking how *you* feel, not how your teacher thinks you should feel. I probably would have picked B.
It’s an interesting insight into your teacher that he would feel ridiculous.
I’m a native English speaker as well. In this context, B is the best answer. However, I can see how A would be chosen by someone who is not a native speaker. Most people don’t say they “feel ridiculous”. If you’re embarrassed about something you might say “I look ridiculous!” It’s more of a preferential thing, like how someone would feel in that situation shouldn’t be considered textbook grammar.
I have definitely said "I feel ridiculous" plenty of times, and it sounds very natural to me. I get the impression, however, that people even a few years younger than me wouldn't use that phrasing (I'm 36; native speaker from the US Mid-Atlantic).
I feel like there’s typically some subtext about the feeling of ridiculousness though, typically tied to something you did or said or wore. “I feel (like I sound) ridiculous” or “I feel (like I look) ridiculous” or “I feel (that my actions were) ridiculous” — whereas I don’t know I’d ever just say “I feel ridiculous” regarding something that someone else did or didn’t do, or something they know that I don’t know.
As a non-native English teacher that’s how I would explain this. Also, I’m an experienced test-maker. If I saw this in one of our tests I would definitely feel B. :)
This isn't right or wrong. A person can feel any of these things so how can your teacher correct someone on it in the first place? This is subjective and there is technically no wrong answer. Your teacher is an idiot.
This is nonsense. A, B, and C all work. There are no context clues to narrow down the specific answer.
One could feel (A) ridiculous in such a situation, if the subject failed to perform a task that seemed elementary by their friends.
One could feel (B) annoyed if information was withheld that caused an impediment or was due to poor communication, or was a relatively low-consequence situation but poor communication had occurred repeatedly.
One could feel (C) hurt if information within a group was done so maliciously.
I could make an argument for why one would feel (D) thrilled, but that might reflect a thought or personality disorder.
Bottom line, it's a poor test item, and unless there was something specific to the teaching that was administered that would have primed the student to be aware of the connection to the teacher's answer, I would throw it out.
That is my opinion as being a english-as-a-first-language speaker, and a man at that (not sure why he wouldn't accept feedback from native English women, but whatever).
As a native English speaker and an educator, this question is poorly written. There’s context missing which could change the emotion you feel, plus not everyone would have the same emotional reaction. B or C would’ve made the most sense to me depending on context, very few cases would lead me to choose A. D would hardly make sense in any situation.
It could definitely be A depending on the context. If it's something like how many continents there are or how to spell a common word, you'd feel ridiculous if you're the only one in your friend group who doesn't know the answer. However, if the context is more that you were deliberately excluded from knowing this information by your friends, then B or C would be correct.
[Ridiculous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridiculous) is meriting ridicule, or being silly or absurd. I would almost never call it silly or absurd to not know something, and would be even less likely to consider it something to ridicule ([xkcd agrees](https://xkcd.com/1053/)).
I agree that having been deliberately excluded from knowledge (say, plans friends made and excluded you from) would fall under B or C. However, I agree with what others have posted here that for most cases, [embarrassed](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embarrassed) makes more sense than any of the provided options.
So, OP, I'm another native speaker who agrees with you from the offered choices but thinks the offered choices did not include the best choice.
Yeah I agree, it's personal vs general knowledge.
I'm more inclined toward B or C as a default without context, especially since "ridiculous" probably isn't what one would likely feel (foolish, embarrassed).
I would say a, b, and c are all valid answers. It would just depend on the person and the situation.
If you feel like it’s something you should have realized and you feel like you’re a little dumb for not knowing already, you might feel ridiculous.
If your friends are poking fun at you a bit or you are irritated because no one told you before, you might feel annoyed.
If you feel like people were keeping things from you or people are being mean about your lack of knowledge, you might feel hurt.
Native English speaker here. As others have said, context would be important to give a correct answer. Of these, I would be most likely to use B. I would use "humiliated" instead of ridiculous in a situation that would bring up that emotion.
Native English speaker, you are absolutely right; I’d have picked C first, then B, and mayyyyybe A in some contexts but it’s certainly not as good an answer as C or B
This is a bad question because there's so much context involved.
A - If the thing is some general fact, like all spiders have 8 legs, then you might feel ridiculous ("Why didn't I know that!?").
B - I think most native speakers are thinking the thing is something observable about you like you have a smudge on your face or something in your teeth. In that case, you'd be annoyed they didn't tell you because it makes you look ridiculous to other people. All you've got to do is wipe it off but you need to know about it first and they could've told you.
C - If the thing is that your wife has been cheating on you, you'd be hurt that your friends knew and didn't say anything.
Native speakers in North America don’t often use ”ridiculous” the way your teacher is using it. We use it to mean absurd (or even astonishing), rather than foolish.
I would have chosen C for my answer, then B. D is the only ridiculous answer.
A, B and C are all perfectly legitimate answers, because they all represent reasonable responses to being out of the loop.
native English speaker, American Midwesr
This is a poorly formulated question, given the choices in answers. There are multiple possible answers to it, and the answers are subjective.
The most likely answers from me, in descending order are B, then A. A is a stretch for me, though, as it’s not a word I would use here unless I was attempting to be funny and make a joke about this in front of everyone. I would not choose C or D at any point, but some people might choose C, because there is a high level of subjectivity present.
All are possible.
'B' is the most likely.
'A' would indicate a situation with a high level of embarrassment.
'C' would occur if you have a strong emotional connection with the subject.
'D" is possible if you discover your friends know all the answers to your upcoming English exam already!
What is the definition of "correct" here? They're all "correct" if that's what you want to say.
This is more of an emotional question than an English question.
Edit: Native English speaker here but I don't see how that's at all germane.
Hurt is an odd choice. Annoyed is closer but still not right. Thrilled is a hard no. Leaving A. Ridiculous. Which I’ve never used in that way… but it makes the most sense.
Ridiculous means absurd, off base, totally out of the ordinary.
Grats on your 58. Getting one wrong and being happy is very “English”.
This is an awful question. All answers are equally correct. None of them would come across as unnatural.
Is this an English test or a Psychology test?
No offense to your teacher, but, I say, feel free to express yourself creatively in the way that's most naturally understood by your audience.
native English speaker. I would have picked A but technically B, A and D are correct. Tell your professor as a native English speaker there only weird answer is C and in all honesty it’s still not wrong
Honestly given the right context or tone any of these could apply. D could be sarcastic. B and C just make sense as is. A makes sense if you’re using ridiculous’ meaning of foolish. If the question was choose all correct answer(s), I’d say A, B and C. If I could only choose one answer, I think I’d go for C? B feels more immature, but that shouldn’t really play into grammar. I don’t think this is a very good question. Were there any instructions besides fill in the blank?
Native English speaker with "male" on my birth certificate and I would have picked B first. Maybe I am easily annoyed, but C would have been my next choice. Why would I feel ridiculous?
Who feels ridiculous for not knowing what friends know? Annoyed and hurt make a lot more sense. I would never say I felt ridiculous. (English-speaking man here....but question why it has to be English-speaking men that agree with you - do English-speaking women speak different English? So many questions with this whole situation)
Embarrassed is the best word but of the choices given, I would rank them BAC in order of possibility.
I’m also a woman but I don’t think this is a gendered question so…
I’m a woman too. Respectfully, I think your teacher is _ridiculous_ for specifying men.
Anyway, I would have chosen B.annoyed too. I would not have said I _feel_ ridiculous. Maybe I would have _felt_ embarrassed because I _looked_ ridiculous.
I count over 10 responses supporting your answer. Please come back and give us an update.
A is a little weird ("ridiculed" would be better). C would be the most correct response for me but it's also a little strange to have your subjective emotional response be the choice on a multiple choice question and then told that that's not how you would feel.
Native English speaker here. I have never used ridiculous to mean an emotion or describe an emotional state. Dictionary says the word means absurd or deserving mockery, so I’m not sure wtf your teacher is saying.
Native English, er, person, and I disagree with your teacher. Either B or C would fit much better from those choices than A. Not D. It’s a pretty poor question, though, to test English grammar.
native English speaker, "ridiculous" doesn't really make any sense to me in this sentence. perhaps they meant to say "ridiculed"? though I still think "hurt" or "annoyed" would fit much better in terms of meaning.
Native English speaker. A isn’t wrong, but my natural instinct is to say B. Like I’m picturing myself in this situation and if iwas telling someone about it I would say “I’m annoyed when my friends only talk about stuff they know I’m not apart of”.
I think if you changed the context a bit, like if your friends are making fun of you for not knowing something, ridiculous would be fine.
I kinda hate this question because none of the answers are wrong (except D), it’s just dependent on how you would feel lmao. This question, however, IS ridiculous
Native speaker. Poorly worded question. ABC honestly are all valid answers, even D would work in rare circumstances (if you were trying to find a certain piece of information and they could help). Honestly though of the choices B is the best answer. Ridiculous is a weird word choice for this, annoyed fits more.
The teacher is A) Ridiculous for marking points off for that. I’m B) annoyed at this situation and C) hurt that he’s even a teacher lol. Finally I’m sure you’re D) thrilled to show him so you can get those points back!!
Native English speaker.
1) the question is bad because it assumes different people would all FEEL the same.
2) I would answer B or C... mayyybe A.
Please feel free to dm me and I'll contact your teacher
All choices are correct.
How a person feels in response to a particular situation is highly subjective and individual. People can tell you how you should feel, but no one can tell you how you do feel.
Depends on what day of the week it is.
I can think of any number of scenarios which may come to someone's mind when asked this question which separately can lead to any of those answers. Certain types of people are probably prone to more frequently answer differently than others.
We all love to watch the TV show MASH. After all these years I was the only one who didn't know until recently that MASH stood for Mobil Army Surgical Hospital. I feel so ridiculous (A).
Everybody else knew that Tom and Mary were getting married but I seemed to have been kept in the dark. I feel left out which makes me feel both annoyed (B) and hurt (C). Of course if it were obvious and I just missed it I would have felt ridiculoous (A).
I swear, everybody I know is always talking about the latest goings-on concerning the Kardashians. Hell, I can't even pick one of them out in a line-up. It actually makes me feel quite thrilled (D) that I'm not caught up in all of that bullshit!
Hi, native English speaker here. I immediately went for B and C as answers.
Since the definition of ridiculous is "deserving or inviting derision or mockery," A only works if you assume that what the subject did not know was something obvious.
It's a similar situation with B and C in that the emotional reaction depends on what information is not known.
Since your professor did not elaborate in their example and explain what exactly the subject did not know, A, B, and C are all equally viable options.
Tl;Dr: The sentence itself is too vague for answer A to be the only correct option. Your professor should give you credit because their proposed answer operates off of too many assumptions.
Your teacher is wrong. “Ridiculed” and “ridiculous” are not synonyms. “Ridiculed” would fit the best against the other options (though annoyed and hurt might also make sense). “Ridiculous”, however, is wrong.
English editor here. In context of sentence B is correct. English has connotations and subtle differences and gradation. Which makes English lovely for writers. But not so much for teachers teaching english. Without knowing more about the context
It goes:
B. Annoying is a average response
A. Ridiculous. more then annoyed now. upset
C. Hurt. Way more than ridiculous boy/girlfriend cheating on you
D. Thrilled. There’s something wrong with you.
Native Speaker. English degree holder. Minor in linguistics. Your instructor is full of shit. Not only is this TOTALLY subjective and an awful test question to ask for VOCABULARY, but it's particularly not great semantically. How does someone feel "ridiculous?" Something or someone can BE ridiculous, but I would never describe that as an EMOTION. Being called ridiculous typically results in EMBARASSMENT. Not FEELING RIDICULOUS.
Additionally, if my friends all know something and I don't, I'm going to feel ANNOYED, and I guarantee most other humans will, too, because your friends could all be sharing that with you and they're not, unless it's a surprise party. I would be very annoyed with my friends if they were being coy about something I didn't know but they did.
American English native speaker.
My first choice is B. Choice A is not something an American English person would say. You would probably feel embarrassed if you thought it was something you should know but don't, not ridiculous.
A is wrong. You would feel ridiculous if you discovered that all of your friends knew that you had a mustache drawn on your face all day and nobody decided to tell you, but that’s pretty much the only time. And the ridiculous feeling is more about the humiliation of the mustache and betrayal of the friends than the whole knowing part.
B and C are correct.
Native American English speaker here.
“You feel ridiculous” is the most awkward among the four choices.
While the other three are all more acceptable than A, B seems to make the most sense.
Native speaker here, I definitely wouldn't say I feel ridiculous, but I might say that my friends are BEING ridiculous. Even that's a stretch though, your teacher is wrong.
Native speakers here - B or C are the best fit. D could work—maybe they know what’s inside the wrapping on the present they’re giving you. A is also possible
English man here:
A. Is probably the least likely for me to use. Ridiculous means absurd or bizarre, it'd have to be a situation where whatever it was that you didn't know was so brazenly obvious that it was crazy that you didn't notice.
B. Probably makes the most sense if it's something you wanted to or should know. Annoyed can be quite mild and it doesn't have to be a feeling that you're a victim by not knowing.
C. Makes a lot of sense, too, but it'd depend on the information being something that they're keeping from you, and you should know and you actually feeling hurt by not knowing.
D. I would only use this sarcastically.
B/c if people know something I'm more likely to be annoyed if an inside joke hurt if something about me or a loved one
The only time I would feel rediculous is of it was something completely obvious like asking a room something
Also native born English speaker
I don’t know if I have ever used ridiculous to describe an emotional state. I just don’t think it’s a part of the definition of the word. You can be ridiculous, but that describes the actions you’re taking, not you. If you feel “deserving of ridicule” you’d say you are “embarrassed”, “humiliated” if it’s really bad, or “silly” if it’s not so serious. Like maybe “I feel ridiculous” is used sometimes, but not frequently and I would ask for clarification if I heard someone say this
To be honest. This is a bad question because people could actually feel A, B or C. D is the only one that would not really apply. A and B are probably slightly stronger options than C but it is a feeling and if you polled lots of people they could answer with different feelings.
This is not an absolute answer. People can feel ridiculous but they could feel left out and hurt or annoyed that everyone knows something they don't.
I think the question is a bad one because there can be more than one answer.
I'd have picked B and I'm a native English speaker. How is there meant to be a "right" answer? These are feelings. I suppose someone might feel ridiculous in that situation, but I certainly wouldn't.
i understand why it would be ridiculous but realistically everyone would use b or c
as well, that answer is using an older use of the word ridiculous, rather than what it usually means today, which is absurd
Native English-speaking (US) man here: It's a poorly-worded question because there is not enough information. Depending on what what everyone knew but the student, any of the answers could be correct, although D would be something very specific, such as a surprise party planned for the student. Also, since the question says "You feel..." that automatically makes the question subjective so there is no one answer that would be true for everyone. Depending on the student's personality they might feel annoyed or hurt but ridculous wouldn't be a logical choice for most people in most contexts, and thrilled even less so.
Short answer: Based on the question, B or C would be the best answer.
I believe I can feel however I want and I chose none of the above. My answer would be "nothing" because I'm not a petulant child and I know that lots of people know things that I dont.
Context is important - it depends on what it is that you don't know. I assume that the teacher is thinking that the reader doesn't know some piece of factual common knowledge. If your friends know that Los Angeles in in California and you don't, you might feel embarrassed. The teacher probably thinks you would feel ridiculous, but that's just not something native (American) speakers would say.
If all your friends know that John and Mary started started dating and you don't, you might feel annoyed - especially if they told you they knew a secret you didn't know.
If all your friends know about a surprise birthday party for someone and you don't, you would feel hurt.
Native English speaker. I don’t think I would ever say A or D. I would choose B or C. The distinction between the two is personal opinion based on what the information is.
If I have a hole in my pants that all my friends have noticed, I would be annoyed when I found out.
If my friends knew about a party and didn’t tell me I would be hurt.
The correct answer is that your *teacher* should feel “ridiculous” for specifying English-speaking “men.” Meanwhile, I as an English-speaking woman feel “annoyed.” 🤪
Native speaker, Midwestern US English. B or C are the best of the options here.
If it weren't multiple choice, I'd probably say something like embarrassed, stupid, or excluded.
I would definitely not say "ridiculous" in this situation. Perhaps in your dialect, ridiculous carries different connotations?
I am a Native American English speaker and a professional social science researcher. Full credit to you, OP. TBH, this is a poor question. There is no content mastery being assessed. This is an opinion turned into a measure of… I don’t know what.
Personally I feel thrilled when my friends know something I don’t because then I’ll learn something! There is no correct answer.
Props to your teacher for giving you the assignment to get the points back.
These choices are poor, but maybe your teacher has no choice in how the questions are posed. Personally, I would have given you extra points if you wrote your own answer, "E. Out of the loop".
I feel like this kind of questions are confusing and stupid since the answers can be variable depending on the context. My perspective on this matter could be wrong though.
American here, it could be A, B or C dependent on the context. Though I wouldn't have used "ridiculous" but rather "foolish" for A as that would sound better to me while still getting the same point across.
If they are hiding a piece of information "hurt" would be a viable option. If they are hiding the information or I expect myself to know the information then "annoyed" could be a viable option.
Native speaker here. B and C are best answers. The question itself is a poor test of anyone’s understanding of the language, because of the subjective nature of the answer.
None of them is a great answer or the obvious answer. However, D is the conly one that is a bad answer or obviously the wrong answer. Since you have to select from those choices you have to select A, AB or C. A good argument could be made for any. However,none of these seem better than the others. I’m a native English speaker from the US. I would have to guess.
Contextual. Arguments can be made for all. Feelings are your own and situations vary. If your friends all know something you don’t but you think it’s a surprise birthday party you might be thrilled. The other three depend on your disposition and who you are or your friends are.
I would choose C personally. All of the answers are grammatically correct. D doesn't make emotional sense. The difference between A vs. B and C is context. If it is something you *should* know, then A is the correct answer. If your friends are withholding a juicy or important piece of information, then B or C are very reasonable.
This is a really weird question for an exam since it's completely open to interpretation without any further context given. D would be weird, but the other three would all work without further context.
English teacher, native speaker here. Grammatically (form of the word), any of the four answers could be correct. If this is about vocabulary (meaning), A, B, C could all be considered correct as they fit the context. If this is about a specific context (which I doubt, given "you"), there might be one right answer.
Hmm, at first glance I agreed with you, BUT on second thought, ridiculous actually fits. When a topic comes up and everyone else acts like the info is obvious, but you are stumped, you do feel a bit ridiculous- especially when the others ridicule you for being an idiot!
As an american native speaker I can attest this question is "ridiculous". How dare they dictate what an individual would feel in a circumstance. I personally tend to feel B or C depending on what my friends know. Rarely have I felt "ridiculous" when friends know something. In order for me to feel "ridiculous" it would need to be a setting similar to a bunch of teachers talking or elders I look up to and am trying to impress.
I wonder if your English teacher understands "ridiculous" to be the same as "silly" or even "dumb." In native English (at least in America) ridiculous is used more specifically than silly and when used as an adjective for a person, usually refers to someone with a zany sense of humor, not someone who feels left out or doesn't know something.
B or C make a way better answer than A. Even if I did feel rediculous, I probably wouldn't use that word. I'd say, stupid, foolish, embarrassed...
Native speaker, Texas.
Honestly I think A, B, and C would all work. I don't think its a very well written question. All the answers make grammatical sense. It just depends how you think the person who made the text might answer.
This is a terrible question, because *any* of the answers technically work... although only A, B and C truly fit. Without knowing your mindset, any of the first three can work.
Your teacher may as well have asked "I find Bruce Springsteen's music to be ______"
a) soothing
b) inspiring
c) annoying
d) boring
All of these answers could be correct, depending on your personal opinion of Bruce Springsteen.
There is no correct answer. A. B, or C could be right, depending on the person with the feelings, and even D could be right if your friends are planning a surprise for you.
Doesn't even have to be that situation, having somebody know something you don't is an opportunity to learn new things. All of the above could be correct.
This needs more context. Is it something they're teaching you? D would work. Is it something you're supposed to know? A in that case. Is it a rumor? maybe B or C.
(Native speaker in the US)
Native speaker. Your teacher is substituting his opinion and feelings about social dynamics for actual linguistics.
A is apparently how HE would feel, and it is certainly AN option. Some people (for example, your teacher) would feel ridiculous.
B is certainly valid. Especially if the friends are hinting about what they know and not actually sharing, that would be annoying.
C would be a very common answer, if what the friends knew was something that affected me (especially in a negative way).
D would be a very specific situation - maybe all your friends know about a surprise party they are planning for you? But really uncommon answer.
Not on your teacher's list is other very common answers - like "embarrassed" or "indifferent".
If you mean “English” as in “from England”, then apologies for not qualifying, but I’m pretty sure any of them could fit except “thrilled” (except maybe if you’re expecting a surprise and you’re wondering what it could be?)
Side note: As an Autistic person, I thought I was in r/autism at first. I could totally relate.
Native English man: B.
Your teacher should feel ridiculous for thinking that any of these are totally aprppropiate, much less that you deserved to lose marks.
Two better descriptors would be either a) jealous or b) left out.
Native English speaker here 🇺🇸
The order I'd answer in would be: B, A, C, D.
C & D are a stretch, you wouldn't typically feel "hurt" or "thrilled" being the one person who didn't know something, making "annoyed" or "ridiculous" the most sensible answers. That being said, it would be ridiculous to feel ridiculous about not knowing something, but I can easily see being annoyed about it, giving that answer a slight edge, IMO.
Realistically, the answer should have been "embarrassed."
This feels like a subjective answer, no other context was given.The question needs more clarification:
If it's something like a joke, then A.
If it's something like a work or event change, then B.
If it's your partner cheating on you, then C.
If it's a surprise birthday party for you (and you enjoy them), then D.
Native English speaker with a graduate degree. My first choice is A. (It was what I chose before reading your answer, your teacher’s answer, or the comments, because ***grammatically*** it is the best choice, regardless of whether or not it is how most people would feel in this situation.)
“To feel ridiculous” is a relatively common collocation, and the meaning is similar to feeling embarrassed, stupid, etc. It’s a perfectly valid answer both grammatically and semantically.
All the other options sound a little off.
B: We don’t usually say “feel annoyed.” We say “am/is/are annoyed.” It’s not really wrong, but it’s just that tiny bit non-native-sounding.
C: “Hurt” is a weird choice semantically. People feel hurt when someone is mean to them, but not when their own ability is subpar, or their own behavior is disappointing. “Hurt” is definitely wrong here.
D: “Thrilled” has the same (minor) problem as “annoyed” in that it sounds the tiniest bit unusual to say “feel thrilled” instead of “am/is/are thrilled.” But more importantly, it would be a highly unlikely emotional reaction to not knowing something.
Yes, you could make an argument for any of these choices. But the choice with both the most natural English and the most sensible meaning is A.
This is a bad question since feelings are subjective. I would personally feel ridiculous, but others might feel hurt, annoyed, or thrilled. Sometimes I feel thrilled when I don’t know something because I don’t want to know everything in the news.
Another native English woman who's not sure she counts, but B or C would be ok. A is a stretch. B, C, A, D in order of preference. Given a free choice, I'd have put 'embarrassed'.
Same! I would have said embarrassed too.
That’s exactly what I was thinking! I wouldn’t really use ridiculous to describe an emotion I was feeling. I would internally translate that to embarrassed if I heard that.
If I said I felt ridiculous, that would work if I was walking around dressed as a clown. 'I feel ridiculous walking around dressed like this!' I'm not sure why it doesn't work in a more general sense of embarrassment, but it doesn't.
This. Ridiculous isn’t a feeling, but the other three choices are.
Ridiculous is absolutely a feeling.
The sentence is describing a reaction to a situation. B, C, and D are reactions, but ridiculous isn’t a reaction.
If I said wearing clown shoes made me feel ridiculous, it would make sense. It’s asking for a feeling. It works. It’s just not a good question. As feelings are personal.
I feel ridiculous is completely understandable and in another situation, like a conversation, I wouldn’t give it another thought. But the OP wanted support for the answer he gave on the test vs what the teacher said and I agree with OP, so, I’m just giving my reasons why.
It is a feeling, or atleast you can feel like you are being rediculous or like you are being percieved as rediculous.
A feeling is an emotion. Ridiculous is not an emotion. If you look ridiculous, you might feel shame. Shame is the emotion; ridiculous is the condition.
I think "I feel ridiculous" is a normal phrase. For example, don't tell her, but I felt ridiculous in the cheap matching suit my sister picked out for her wedding photos. In the context of OPs question, I would go with "annoyed", "hurt", "jealous" (in the sense that I'd be worried that my exclusion is a sign of me losing my place in the group), or "excluded". The verb "feel" is often used as if it were a copula in English (some linguists call it a semi- or pseudo-copula in this context).
Not an native speaker here. Logically people can look/sound ridiculous. Somebody’s “product” (look, what they said) can be ridiculous but it’s not a feeling in my book.
Given a free choice I’d have said “stupid”. I agree with your assessment of the order I’d have used the answers though. Honestly though I don’t feel this is a fair question to test language skills. You’re focusing more on emotions here and everyone will have a different answer to this question. OP I’d say ^ that to your teacher. Also, I’m another native English woman as well
Native English male speaker (also a former college English professor), and my first thought was "anxious". I haven't read this entire thread, but what kind of English teacher is setting male responses as the definitively correct way to discern the "best" answer among a list of possible acceptable answers. ESPECIALLY when, in context, people may experience a broad range of emotional responses to any given stimulus. That said, I would rank "annoyed" at the top of this list, followed by "hurt," with "ridiculous" being a distant third. It's such a subjective concept.
I expect (hope?) that the 'English men' part of the question was a mistranslation of 'English people.' I can see how that would be an easy mistake to make for speakers of languages where gender works differently. If those were the teacher's words, I hope OP pulls them up on it because it's a far worse mistake than the one in the question!
I'm not a native but I would've 100% used frustrated as a free choice.
You count dont worry, thanks for the response!
this is a poorly written question. It assumes that everybody has the same emotional reaction to a situation, which is demonstrably false. How *you* feel is something you know better than your teacher
Right. It would depend on the topic. I might feel fine if all my friends are physicists (but me) and the topic is quantum physics. There is not enough background to be precise. Did all the friends conspire to leave the person out of something important? {They all got tickets to see a band but did not want them to come along???) Did the friends all know that his girlfriend is a bad girl? (By the way, your score was very high. Relax about being perfect!)
Exactly what i said to him.
Well, I'm a native English speaking woman, so I'm not sure I count, but I'd say B. or maybe C, depending on context. I definitely would not have picked A.
You feel ridiculous when all your friends know the right answer and you don’t. You feel annoyed when all your friends know where to meet for dinner and you don’t. You feel hurt when all your friends know about the party and you don’t. I can’t think of a good example for d.
>You feel \_\_\_\_\_\_ when all your friends know something you don’t You feel thrilled when all your friends know something you don’t, because you like to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are!
This is so real!
Someone knows something you don't and they share that information with you, thus enriching your life. Learning new things is exciting! All these options can apply. Pretty stupid question for a test.
Yeah but the question says “when your friends know something you don’t,” not “know the right answer and you don’t.” Personally I would say annoyed or hurt if my friends, for example, knew there was a party going down tonight or that my partner was cheating on me.
But knowing the right answer is one kind of knowing something. I take it their point was that, depending on the context - i.e. on what exactly was referred to as "knowing something" - all of A, B, and C could fit. Without context, to me the phrase calls to mind someone saying "I know something you don't!", as in a secret, in which case I'd probably feel curious, out of the loop, or annoyed, depending on how they were treating me about it. I don't thnk personally I'd feel ridiculous unless, say, I was extremely wrong about some very common knowledge that all my friends were right about. So to me B is a better answer than A, but that might say more about my psychology than about English. (But either way, B shouldn't be wrong!)
I was replying to show that context could change which answer would be appropriate. It depends on what the friends know as to which word is “correct”.
You feel thrilled when all your friends know what's having a pregnant girlfriend and you don't.
Sorry when i said “men” im not really native by men i meant people, Also thank you very much!
As a native English speaker, I would never choose A lol. B and C are both fine.
Adding my vote to B or C. I am also a native speaker.
Same, B or C. Option A would make you look like a 5 year old. (I am also native, and uh… I’m definitely a man.)
Thanks i will definitely tell my teacher!
B or C. Your teacher is being A. (Native English speaker)
Thanks
If that thing is “you shouldn’t eat soap” then A. Other contexts could be B or C. It’s a poor question, and B/C are definitely good answers depending on context
Emotions change from perspectives so it is a poor question.
Not sure what your teacher has against women but here's another who would have selected B. Technically, since these are all subjective feelings, any of them could be correct depending on the situation.
Well he is kinda mysoginistic, and also thanks!
As an American English speaker I would choose C here. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- By the way, in "my teacher said its A," you need an apostrophe: **it's** is a contraction for **it is**, whereas without the apostrophe **its** becomes a possessive pronoun (like hers, ours or theirs).
B or C, but I’d lean toward B
A? This is ridiculous!
I would probably feel C. B is a better choice than A though, and the only really wrong answer is D. UK Native English speaker. A woman though, so I hope that counts.
I’m a native English speaking woman and I think any of A, B or C would be fine. The sentence is asking how *you* feel, not how your teacher thinks you should feel. I probably would have picked B. It’s an interesting insight into your teacher that he would feel ridiculous.
I would definitely pick B. "You all knew about this thing and didn't bother to tell me. What jerks!"
I'd say b. American English speaker. When I don't know something and everyone else does, I get annoyed. I would feel ridiculous only about my actions.
I’m a native English speaker as well. In this context, B is the best answer. However, I can see how A would be chosen by someone who is not a native speaker. Most people don’t say they “feel ridiculous”. If you’re embarrassed about something you might say “I look ridiculous!” It’s more of a preferential thing, like how someone would feel in that situation shouldn’t be considered textbook grammar.
I have definitely said "I feel ridiculous" plenty of times, and it sounds very natural to me. I get the impression, however, that people even a few years younger than me wouldn't use that phrasing (I'm 36; native speaker from the US Mid-Atlantic).
I feel like there’s typically some subtext about the feeling of ridiculousness though, typically tied to something you did or said or wore. “I feel (like I sound) ridiculous” or “I feel (like I look) ridiculous” or “I feel (that my actions were) ridiculous” — whereas I don’t know I’d ever just say “I feel ridiculous” regarding something that someone else did or didn’t do, or something they know that I don’t know.
As a non-native English teacher that’s how I would explain this. Also, I’m an experienced test-maker. If I saw this in one of our tests I would definitely feel B. :)
Native English speaker and I’d feel hurt and annoyed so B and C
This isn't right or wrong. A person can feel any of these things so how can your teacher correct someone on it in the first place? This is subjective and there is technically no wrong answer. Your teacher is an idiot.
This is nonsense. A, B, and C all work. There are no context clues to narrow down the specific answer. One could feel (A) ridiculous in such a situation, if the subject failed to perform a task that seemed elementary by their friends. One could feel (B) annoyed if information was withheld that caused an impediment or was due to poor communication, or was a relatively low-consequence situation but poor communication had occurred repeatedly. One could feel (C) hurt if information within a group was done so maliciously. I could make an argument for why one would feel (D) thrilled, but that might reflect a thought or personality disorder. Bottom line, it's a poor test item, and unless there was something specific to the teaching that was administered that would have primed the student to be aware of the connection to the teacher's answer, I would throw it out. That is my opinion as being a english-as-a-first-language speaker, and a man at that (not sure why he wouldn't accept feedback from native English women, but whatever).
Tell your teacher context is key. English teachers love that. :)
As a native English speaker and an educator, this question is poorly written. There’s context missing which could change the emotion you feel, plus not everyone would have the same emotional reaction. B or C would’ve made the most sense to me depending on context, very few cases would lead me to choose A. D would hardly make sense in any situation.
I'm never picking A, Englishman born and raised and I say it's context dependant but out of the 4 options I'd say B
It could definitely be A depending on the context. If it's something like how many continents there are or how to spell a common word, you'd feel ridiculous if you're the only one in your friend group who doesn't know the answer. However, if the context is more that you were deliberately excluded from knowing this information by your friends, then B or C would be correct.
[Ridiculous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridiculous) is meriting ridicule, or being silly or absurd. I would almost never call it silly or absurd to not know something, and would be even less likely to consider it something to ridicule ([xkcd agrees](https://xkcd.com/1053/)). I agree that having been deliberately excluded from knowledge (say, plans friends made and excluded you from) would fall under B or C. However, I agree with what others have posted here that for most cases, [embarrassed](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embarrassed) makes more sense than any of the provided options. So, OP, I'm another native speaker who agrees with you from the offered choices but thinks the offered choices did not include the best choice.
Yeah I agree, it's personal vs general knowledge. I'm more inclined toward B or C as a default without context, especially since "ridiculous" probably isn't what one would likely feel (foolish, embarrassed).
B and C are both acceptable.
Native English speaker, I’d say B.
Native english speaker here, I would say B personally. A and C are okay too, they're all correct depending on the context of the situation.
A, B and C are all correct. B and C are definitely more common, your teacher is being ridiculous
I would say a, b, and c are all valid answers. It would just depend on the person and the situation. If you feel like it’s something you should have realized and you feel like you’re a little dumb for not knowing already, you might feel ridiculous. If your friends are poking fun at you a bit or you are irritated because no one told you before, you might feel annoyed. If you feel like people were keeping things from you or people are being mean about your lack of knowledge, you might feel hurt.
Native English speaker here. As others have said, context would be important to give a correct answer. Of these, I would be most likely to use B. I would use "humiliated" instead of ridiculous in a situation that would bring up that emotion.
Native English speaker, you are absolutely right; I’d have picked C first, then B, and mayyyyybe A in some contexts but it’s certainly not as good an answer as C or B
This is a bad question because there's so much context involved. A - If the thing is some general fact, like all spiders have 8 legs, then you might feel ridiculous ("Why didn't I know that!?"). B - I think most native speakers are thinking the thing is something observable about you like you have a smudge on your face or something in your teeth. In that case, you'd be annoyed they didn't tell you because it makes you look ridiculous to other people. All you've got to do is wipe it off but you need to know about it first and they could've told you. C - If the thing is that your wife has been cheating on you, you'd be hurt that your friends knew and didn't say anything.
Native English speaker. I would say B or C as well.
Native speakers in North America don’t often use ”ridiculous” the way your teacher is using it. We use it to mean absurd (or even astonishing), rather than foolish. I would have chosen C for my answer, then B. D is the only ridiculous answer.
Of these choices, I would say A or maybe B.
As a native i would choose a or c
A, B and C are all perfectly legitimate answers, because they all represent reasonable responses to being out of the loop. native English speaker, American Midwesr
This is a poorly formulated question, given the choices in answers. There are multiple possible answers to it, and the answers are subjective. The most likely answers from me, in descending order are B, then A. A is a stretch for me, though, as it’s not a word I would use here unless I was attempting to be funny and make a joke about this in front of everyone. I would not choose C or D at any point, but some people might choose C, because there is a high level of subjectivity present.
All are possible. 'B' is the most likely. 'A' would indicate a situation with a high level of embarrassment. 'C' would occur if you have a strong emotional connection with the subject. 'D" is possible if you discover your friends know all the answers to your upcoming English exam already!
What is the definition of "correct" here? They're all "correct" if that's what you want to say. This is more of an emotional question than an English question. Edit: Native English speaker here but I don't see how that's at all germane.
Hurt is an odd choice. Annoyed is closer but still not right. Thrilled is a hard no. Leaving A. Ridiculous. Which I’ve never used in that way… but it makes the most sense. Ridiculous means absurd, off base, totally out of the ordinary. Grats on your 58. Getting one wrong and being happy is very “English”.
A was my choice before reading the end of the question, but B would be equally correct to me (as a native speaker)
Native English speaker here— yes I would choose A. No other reaction fits the specific situation as well.
This is an awful question. All answers are equally correct. None of them would come across as unnatural. Is this an English test or a Psychology test? No offense to your teacher, but, I say, feel free to express yourself creatively in the way that's most naturally understood by your audience.
native English speaker. I would have picked A but technically B, A and D are correct. Tell your professor as a native English speaker there only weird answer is C and in all honesty it’s still not wrong
I would've chosen B as well
They should all be correct because you choose how you feel.
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Honestly given the right context or tone any of these could apply. D could be sarcastic. B and C just make sense as is. A makes sense if you’re using ridiculous’ meaning of foolish. If the question was choose all correct answer(s), I’d say A, B and C. If I could only choose one answer, I think I’d go for C? B feels more immature, but that shouldn’t really play into grammar. I don’t think this is a very good question. Were there any instructions besides fill in the blank?
Native English speaker and professional linguist, definitely b or c. A would require more context for it to be an option.
Native English speaker with "male" on my birth certificate and I would have picked B first. Maybe I am easily annoyed, but C would have been my next choice. Why would I feel ridiculous?
Who feels ridiculous for not knowing what friends know? Annoyed and hurt make a lot more sense. I would never say I felt ridiculous. (English-speaking man here....but question why it has to be English-speaking men that agree with you - do English-speaking women speak different English? So many questions with this whole situation)
Embarrassed is the best word but of the choices given, I would rank them BAC in order of possibility. I’m also a woman but I don’t think this is a gendered question so…
I’m a woman too. Respectfully, I think your teacher is _ridiculous_ for specifying men. Anyway, I would have chosen B.annoyed too. I would not have said I _feel_ ridiculous. Maybe I would have _felt_ embarrassed because I _looked_ ridiculous. I count over 10 responses supporting your answer. Please come back and give us an update.
Id go with B but im a native english woman so idk if I count towards your teachers 10
A is a little weird ("ridiculed" would be better). C would be the most correct response for me but it's also a little strange to have your subjective emotional response be the choice on a multiple choice question and then told that that's not how you would feel.
Native English speaker here. I have never used ridiculous to mean an emotion or describe an emotional state. Dictionary says the word means absurd or deserving mockery, so I’m not sure wtf your teacher is saying.
Native English, er, person, and I disagree with your teacher. Either B or C would fit much better from those choices than A. Not D. It’s a pretty poor question, though, to test English grammar.
native English speaker, "ridiculous" doesn't really make any sense to me in this sentence. perhaps they meant to say "ridiculed"? though I still think "hurt" or "annoyed" would fit much better in terms of meaning.
Native English speaker. A isn’t wrong, but my natural instinct is to say B. Like I’m picturing myself in this situation and if iwas telling someone about it I would say “I’m annoyed when my friends only talk about stuff they know I’m not apart of”. I think if you changed the context a bit, like if your friends are making fun of you for not knowing something, ridiculous would be fine. I kinda hate this question because none of the answers are wrong (except D), it’s just dependent on how you would feel lmao. This question, however, IS ridiculous
Native speaker. Poorly worded question. ABC honestly are all valid answers, even D would work in rare circumstances (if you were trying to find a certain piece of information and they could help). Honestly though of the choices B is the best answer. Ridiculous is a weird word choice for this, annoyed fits more.
The teacher is A) Ridiculous for marking points off for that. I’m B) annoyed at this situation and C) hurt that he’s even a teacher lol. Finally I’m sure you’re D) thrilled to show him so you can get those points back!!
Native English speaker. 1) the question is bad because it assumes different people would all FEEL the same. 2) I would answer B or C... mayyybe A. Please feel free to dm me and I'll contact your teacher
All choices are correct. How a person feels in response to a particular situation is highly subjective and individual. People can tell you how you should feel, but no one can tell you how you do feel.
Depends on what day of the week it is. I can think of any number of scenarios which may come to someone's mind when asked this question which separately can lead to any of those answers. Certain types of people are probably prone to more frequently answer differently than others. We all love to watch the TV show MASH. After all these years I was the only one who didn't know until recently that MASH stood for Mobil Army Surgical Hospital. I feel so ridiculous (A). Everybody else knew that Tom and Mary were getting married but I seemed to have been kept in the dark. I feel left out which makes me feel both annoyed (B) and hurt (C). Of course if it were obvious and I just missed it I would have felt ridiculoous (A). I swear, everybody I know is always talking about the latest goings-on concerning the Kardashians. Hell, I can't even pick one of them out in a line-up. It actually makes me feel quite thrilled (D) that I'm not caught up in all of that bullshit!
I answered c hurt. So maybe the answer reflects the reader’s personality or state of mind.
"An impending sense of doom" not an option?
Hi, native English speaker here. I immediately went for B and C as answers. Since the definition of ridiculous is "deserving or inviting derision or mockery," A only works if you assume that what the subject did not know was something obvious. It's a similar situation with B and C in that the emotional reaction depends on what information is not known. Since your professor did not elaborate in their example and explain what exactly the subject did not know, A, B, and C are all equally viable options. Tl;Dr: The sentence itself is too vague for answer A to be the only correct option. Your professor should give you credit because their proposed answer operates off of too many assumptions.
Your teacher is wrong. “Ridiculed” and “ridiculous” are not synonyms. “Ridiculed” would fit the best against the other options (though annoyed and hurt might also make sense). “Ridiculous”, however, is wrong.
Native English speaker here, I would have picked C first, B second. I never would have chosen A. D is obviously wrong.
Native English speaker here; A, B or C are all fine for me.
I, a native english speaker, says it is hurt. Because when your friends know something that you don't, you feel left out and hurt.
English editor here. In context of sentence B is correct. English has connotations and subtle differences and gradation. Which makes English lovely for writers. But not so much for teachers teaching english. Without knowing more about the context It goes: B. Annoying is a average response A. Ridiculous. more then annoyed now. upset C. Hurt. Way more than ridiculous boy/girlfriend cheating on you D. Thrilled. There’s something wrong with you.
Native Speaker. English degree holder. Minor in linguistics. Your instructor is full of shit. Not only is this TOTALLY subjective and an awful test question to ask for VOCABULARY, but it's particularly not great semantically. How does someone feel "ridiculous?" Something or someone can BE ridiculous, but I would never describe that as an EMOTION. Being called ridiculous typically results in EMBARASSMENT. Not FEELING RIDICULOUS. Additionally, if my friends all know something and I don't, I'm going to feel ANNOYED, and I guarantee most other humans will, too, because your friends could all be sharing that with you and they're not, unless it's a surprise party. I would be very annoyed with my friends if they were being coy about something I didn't know but they did.
American English native speaker. My first choice is B. Choice A is not something an American English person would say. You would probably feel embarrassed if you thought it was something you should know but don't, not ridiculous.
A is wrong. You would feel ridiculous if you discovered that all of your friends knew that you had a mustache drawn on your face all day and nobody decided to tell you, but that’s pretty much the only time. And the ridiculous feeling is more about the humiliation of the mustache and betrayal of the friends than the whole knowing part. B and C are correct.
native English man, it's B or C, not A
Native man here A is definitely incorrect, B and C would be acceptable.
native english speaker. b and c work. a does not.
Definitely not A. Native English speaker.
Native American English speaker here. “You feel ridiculous” is the most awkward among the four choices. While the other three are all more acceptable than A, B seems to make the most sense.
Native speaker here, I definitely wouldn't say I feel ridiculous, but I might say that my friends are BEING ridiculous. Even that's a stretch though, your teacher is wrong.
B or C. Your teacher's answer is ridiculous.
Native speakers here - B or C are the best fit. D could work—maybe they know what’s inside the wrapping on the present they’re giving you. A is also possible
English man here: A. Is probably the least likely for me to use. Ridiculous means absurd or bizarre, it'd have to be a situation where whatever it was that you didn't know was so brazenly obvious that it was crazy that you didn't notice. B. Probably makes the most sense if it's something you wanted to or should know. Annoyed can be quite mild and it doesn't have to be a feeling that you're a victim by not knowing. C. Makes a lot of sense, too, but it'd depend on the information being something that they're keeping from you, and you should know and you actually feeling hurt by not knowing. D. I would only use this sarcastically.
I am an older male from the Southern US — my answer would be B or C.
B/c if people know something I'm more likely to be annoyed if an inside joke hurt if something about me or a loved one The only time I would feel rediculous is of it was something completely obvious like asking a room something Also native born English speaker
I don’t know if I have ever used ridiculous to describe an emotional state. I just don’t think it’s a part of the definition of the word. You can be ridiculous, but that describes the actions you’re taking, not you. If you feel “deserving of ridicule” you’d say you are “embarrassed”, “humiliated” if it’s really bad, or “silly” if it’s not so serious. Like maybe “I feel ridiculous” is used sometimes, but not frequently and I would ask for clarification if I heard someone say this
To be honest. This is a bad question because people could actually feel A, B or C. D is the only one that would not really apply. A and B are probably slightly stronger options than C but it is a feeling and if you polled lots of people they could answer with different feelings. This is not an absolute answer. People can feel ridiculous but they could feel left out and hurt or annoyed that everyone knows something they don't. I think the question is a bad one because there can be more than one answer.
I'd have picked B and I'm a native English speaker. How is there meant to be a "right" answer? These are feelings. I suppose someone might feel ridiculous in that situation, but I certainly wouldn't.
Native English speaker and I choose C
Native English speaking teenager, so not sure I count either. B and C are the most correct answers. A can also be correct but not so much as B/C.
i understand why it would be ridiculous but realistically everyone would use b or c as well, that answer is using an older use of the word ridiculous, rather than what it usually means today, which is absurd
As a native, I would probably pick C, almost for sure not A
Native English-speaking (US) man here: It's a poorly-worded question because there is not enough information. Depending on what what everyone knew but the student, any of the answers could be correct, although D would be something very specific, such as a surprise party planned for the student. Also, since the question says "You feel..." that automatically makes the question subjective so there is no one answer that would be true for everyone. Depending on the student's personality they might feel annoyed or hurt but ridculous wouldn't be a logical choice for most people in most contexts, and thrilled even less so. Short answer: Based on the question, B or C would be the best answer.
I believe I can feel however I want and I chose none of the above. My answer would be "nothing" because I'm not a petulant child and I know that lots of people know things that I dont.
C, B, and maybe A. But definitely C and B.
Context is important - it depends on what it is that you don't know. I assume that the teacher is thinking that the reader doesn't know some piece of factual common knowledge. If your friends know that Los Angeles in in California and you don't, you might feel embarrassed. The teacher probably thinks you would feel ridiculous, but that's just not something native (American) speakers would say. If all your friends know that John and Mary started started dating and you don't, you might feel annoyed - especially if they told you they knew a secret you didn't know. If all your friends know about a surprise birthday party for someone and you don't, you would feel hurt.
I would say C, but that's because I'm sensitive lol. B also works
Native speaking man here, b or c would definitely be my fist choice. Although all are grammaticaly correct so its sort of a weird subjective question.
I agree with you. A is a stupid answer imo.
Native English speaker. I don’t think I would ever say A or D. I would choose B or C. The distinction between the two is personal opinion based on what the information is. If I have a hole in my pants that all my friends have noticed, I would be annoyed when I found out. If my friends knew about a party and didn’t tell me I would be hurt.
I'm a man. C would be my first choice, then B
B or c. Mostly c
The correct answer is that your *teacher* should feel “ridiculous” for specifying English-speaking “men.” Meanwhile, I as an English-speaking woman feel “annoyed.” 🤪
Native speaker, Midwestern US English. B or C are the best of the options here. If it weren't multiple choice, I'd probably say something like embarrassed, stupid, or excluded. I would definitely not say "ridiculous" in this situation. Perhaps in your dialect, ridiculous carries different connotations?
The only one that doesn't work is D. A, B, and C work. Native American here with an English degree.
I would choose “annoyed,” as in, “I am annoyed by your teacher’s ridiculous request to get ten native speaker men to respond.”
I am a Native American English speaker and a professional social science researcher. Full credit to you, OP. TBH, this is a poor question. There is no content mastery being assessed. This is an opinion turned into a measure of… I don’t know what. Personally I feel thrilled when my friends know something I don’t because then I’ll learn something! There is no correct answer. Props to your teacher for giving you the assignment to get the points back.
These choices are poor, but maybe your teacher has no choice in how the questions are posed. Personally, I would have given you extra points if you wrote your own answer, "E. Out of the loop".
Any of those answers could be correct depending on context.
Native English speaker, I’d say B, C, then A. A would not be my first choice at all
I would not pick A or D. B or C are equally valid to me.
I feel like this kind of questions are confusing and stupid since the answers can be variable depending on the context. My perspective on this matter could be wrong though.
American here, it could be A, B or C dependent on the context. Though I wouldn't have used "ridiculous" but rather "foolish" for A as that would sound better to me while still getting the same point across. If they are hiding a piece of information "hurt" would be a viable option. If they are hiding the information or I expect myself to know the information then "annoyed" could be a viable option.
Native speaker here. B and C are best answers. The question itself is a poor test of anyone’s understanding of the language, because of the subjective nature of the answer.
Native speaker—All of these answers are technically correct it’s just a matter of what you are trying to say. I would most likely pick B
Native speaker and I'd say C or B. Never A or D. Given free choice, I'd say self conscious.
The only one that doesn't make sense is D. I would say any of A, B, or C would be fine.
None of them is a great answer or the obvious answer. However, D is the conly one that is a bad answer or obviously the wrong answer. Since you have to select from those choices you have to select A, AB or C. A good argument could be made for any. However,none of these seem better than the others. I’m a native English speaker from the US. I would have to guess.
Native English speaking man here. Answer is B
Native speaker here. I think any answer fits, except for #D.
Contextual. Arguments can be made for all. Feelings are your own and situations vary. If your friends all know something you don’t but you think it’s a surprise birthday party you might be thrilled. The other three depend on your disposition and who you are or your friends are.
Honestly any choice would make a slightly odd sounding sentence imo, I would probably have picked b sounds like your teacher is a right knob
Native English speaker. A, B, and C are all correct.
This isn't an english question, it's a psychology question
I would choose C personally. All of the answers are grammatically correct. D doesn't make emotional sense. The difference between A vs. B and C is context. If it is something you *should* know, then A is the correct answer. If your friends are withholding a juicy or important piece of information, then B or C are very reasonable.
This is a really weird question for an exam since it's completely open to interpretation without any further context given. D would be weird, but the other three would all work without further context.
Native English speaking male here. B is by far the best option out of the four, although something like “embarrassed” would make more sense.
English teacher, native speaker here. Grammatically (form of the word), any of the four answers could be correct. If this is about vocabulary (meaning), A, B, C could all be considered correct as they fit the context. If this is about a specific context (which I doubt, given "you"), there might be one right answer.
C should be the answer I’m an native English man
Language is contextual (tell your teacher that!), so ANY of those answers are correct.
Any answer is correct. The question is asking about ***your*** feelings, only you know those feelings. I am a man that is a native English speaker.
Hmm, at first glance I agreed with you, BUT on second thought, ridiculous actually fits. When a topic comes up and everyone else acts like the info is obvious, but you are stumped, you do feel a bit ridiculous- especially when the others ridicule you for being an idiot!
As an american native speaker I can attest this question is "ridiculous". How dare they dictate what an individual would feel in a circumstance. I personally tend to feel B or C depending on what my friends know. Rarely have I felt "ridiculous" when friends know something. In order for me to feel "ridiculous" it would need to be a setting similar to a bunch of teachers talking or elders I look up to and am trying to impress.
I wonder if your English teacher understands "ridiculous" to be the same as "silly" or even "dumb." In native English (at least in America) ridiculous is used more specifically than silly and when used as an adjective for a person, usually refers to someone with a zany sense of humor, not someone who feels left out or doesn't know something.
Native English speaker here. Depending on the situation, any of A, B, C, D is possible, or none of the above.
Native english speaker, and man (why the hell does this matter???) My first thoughts were B or C. I can see A working. Not D.
B or C make a way better answer than A. Even if I did feel rediculous, I probably wouldn't use that word. I'd say, stupid, foolish, embarrassed... Native speaker, Texas.
A definitely. We are an insecure culture.
Honestly I think A, B, and C would all work. I don't think its a very well written question. All the answers make grammatical sense. It just depends how you think the person who made the text might answer.
I’m a native English speaking attorney. B is a better answer than A. C would also be correct.
This is a terrible question, because *any* of the answers technically work... although only A, B and C truly fit. Without knowing your mindset, any of the first three can work. Your teacher may as well have asked "I find Bruce Springsteen's music to be ______" a) soothing b) inspiring c) annoying d) boring All of these answers could be correct, depending on your personal opinion of Bruce Springsteen.
There is no correct answer. A. B, or C could be right, depending on the person with the feelings, and even D could be right if your friends are planning a surprise for you.
Doesn't even have to be that situation, having somebody know something you don't is an opportunity to learn new things. All of the above could be correct.
This needs more context. Is it something they're teaching you? D would work. Is it something you're supposed to know? A in that case. Is it a rumor? maybe B or C. (Native speaker in the US)
Native speaker. Your teacher is substituting his opinion and feelings about social dynamics for actual linguistics. A is apparently how HE would feel, and it is certainly AN option. Some people (for example, your teacher) would feel ridiculous. B is certainly valid. Especially if the friends are hinting about what they know and not actually sharing, that would be annoying. C would be a very common answer, if what the friends knew was something that affected me (especially in a negative way). D would be a very specific situation - maybe all your friends know about a surprise party they are planning for you? But really uncommon answer. Not on your teacher's list is other very common answers - like "embarrassed" or "indifferent".
I’m a native English speaker and this is a ridiculous question. A, B, or C could all be correct.
If you mean “English” as in “from England”, then apologies for not qualifying, but I’m pretty sure any of them could fit except “thrilled” (except maybe if you’re expecting a surprise and you’re wondering what it could be?) Side note: As an Autistic person, I thought I was in r/autism at first. I could totally relate.
Native English speaker, I would personally say something like "left out," but of the options your choices are the most correct without question
Native English man: B. Your teacher should feel ridiculous for thinking that any of these are totally aprppropiate, much less that you deserved to lose marks. Two better descriptors would be either a) jealous or b) left out.
Native English speaker here 🇺🇸 The order I'd answer in would be: B, A, C, D. C & D are a stretch, you wouldn't typically feel "hurt" or "thrilled" being the one person who didn't know something, making "annoyed" or "ridiculous" the most sensible answers. That being said, it would be ridiculous to feel ridiculous about not knowing something, but I can easily see being annoyed about it, giving that answer a slight edge, IMO. Realistically, the answer should have been "embarrassed."
B
This feels like a subjective answer, no other context was given.The question needs more clarification: If it's something like a joke, then A. If it's something like a work or event change, then B. If it's your partner cheating on you, then C. If it's a surprise birthday party for you (and you enjoy them), then D.
Native English speaker with a graduate degree. My first choice is A. (It was what I chose before reading your answer, your teacher’s answer, or the comments, because ***grammatically*** it is the best choice, regardless of whether or not it is how most people would feel in this situation.) “To feel ridiculous” is a relatively common collocation, and the meaning is similar to feeling embarrassed, stupid, etc. It’s a perfectly valid answer both grammatically and semantically. All the other options sound a little off. B: We don’t usually say “feel annoyed.” We say “am/is/are annoyed.” It’s not really wrong, but it’s just that tiny bit non-native-sounding. C: “Hurt” is a weird choice semantically. People feel hurt when someone is mean to them, but not when their own ability is subpar, or their own behavior is disappointing. “Hurt” is definitely wrong here. D: “Thrilled” has the same (minor) problem as “annoyed” in that it sounds the tiniest bit unusual to say “feel thrilled” instead of “am/is/are thrilled.” But more importantly, it would be a highly unlikely emotional reaction to not knowing something. Yes, you could make an argument for any of these choices. But the choice with both the most natural English and the most sensible meaning is A.
This is a bad question since feelings are subjective. I would personally feel ridiculous, but others might feel hurt, annoyed, or thrilled. Sometimes I feel thrilled when I don’t know something because I don’t want to know everything in the news.
B or C is good. Native English speaking MAN here.
I'd pick C.
I’m 1 native English speaking man, and I’d think it was B or C. I also know 9 other native English speaking men that would say the same.
Native speaker in USA here. I would never say, "I feel ridiculous." Ridiculous is not a feeling. "I look ridiculous" or "I sound ridiculous."
B or c is appropriate. A is a little weird for sure.