Directions
Pick out the most effective form of the word from the given options to fill in the blanks to make the sentence meaningfully complete.
Companies _______ work from home hours to _______ personal time.
- AOption (a)
sets, protected
- BOption (b)
set, protecting
- COption (c)
set, protect
- DOption (d)
setting, protect
- EOption (e)
set, protects
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Correct answer
set, protect
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is option 3) i.e. set, protect.
- From the context of the sentence, a verb and an infinitive should be used respectively in the given blanks.
- Let us explore the options:
- The first option is incorrect as 'sets' is used as the noun which is not correct as per the context. 'Protected' is used as the past form of the verb.
- The second option is incorrect as 'protecting' is used as the present participle form of the verb. 'Set' is still okay for the first blank but 'protecting' is not fit for the second blank.
- The third option is correct as 'set' is used as the singular verb for the singular subject 'companies' and 'protect' is the base form of the verb which is correct to be used as a to-infinitive.
- The fourth option is incorrect as 'setting' is the present participle form of the verb. 'Protect' is still okay for the second blank but 'setting' is not fit for the first blank.
- The fifth option is incorrect as 'protects' is the third person present form of the verb. 'Set' is still okay for the first blank but 'protects' is not fit for the second blank.
- Hence, the correct option is "set, protect".
Complete Sentence: Companies set work from home hours to protect personal time.
- Important Tips and Tricks to solve double fillers:
- Do not read options: Read the sentence and think of a word that 'fits' the sentence. Now go to the options and choose the word that best replaces the word that you had thought of initially.
- Elimination method: In certain questions, our knowledge and understanding of vocabulary and common idioms-phrases may be tested. Hence, be sure to have a good skill set of such phrases.
- Use grammar clues: Keep a close watch at the tense of the sentence, subject-verb agreement, whether the blank in the sentence is after the article 'an' etc.
- Use Connotation: Each word expresses two things: a definition and a connotation. A connotation is a positive, negative, or neutral feeling that is implied by or associated with a word.
- Identify the Indicators: Indicators tell us what is coming up. They indicate if the question is moving to draw a contrast with something stated previously, or support something stated previously.