John took off his jacket and loosened the () of his tie.

John took off his jacket and loosened the () of his tie.

• A. Knot
• B. Bow
• C. Loop
• D. End

Answer: (A)

Loosening a necktie is described by undoing the knot that holds the tie in place. The knot is the secured part you tie at the collar, so when you loosen it, the tie loosens enough to remove the jacket. Saying “loosened the knot of his tie” is the natural, everyday way to express this action. A bow would imply a bow tie, which uses a bow rather than a knot; a loop isn’t the standard term for the tied section you loosen, and the end doesn’t convey the action of undoing the tie. So the best fit is knot.

Loosening a necktie is described by undoing the knot that holds the tie in place. The knot is the secured part you tie at the collar, so when you loosen it, the tie loosens enough to remove the jacket. Saying “loosened the knot of his tie” is the natural, everyday way to express this action. A bow would imply a bow tie, which uses a bow rather than a knot; a loop isn’t the standard term for the tied section you loosen, and the end doesn’t convey the action of undoing the tie. So the best fit is knot.