There’s a great ____ of houses in most major cities. (SHORT) Use the word in bracket to form a word that fits in the gapa.shorterb.shortagec.shortest

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify the blank in the sentence as needing a noun.
2. Determine the appropriate form of the word "short".

Relevant Concepts

1. The bracketed term "SHORT" can be transformed into various forms, including noun and adjective.
2. We need a noun that conveys a lack or insufficiency related to "houses".

Analysis and Detail

1. The forms of "short" from the options are:

   • a. shorterb - Not a valid form.
   • b. shortage - This is a noun that means a deficiency or insufficient supply.
   • c. shortest - This is a superlative adjective, which does not fit in this context.

2. The word "shortage" directly addresses the context of a lack of houses.

Verify and Summarize

• The only valid and contextually appropriate word from the given options is "shortage", as it represents the noun form needed to fit in the sentence.

Final Answer

There’s a great shortage of houses in most major cities.