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Difficulty: MediumIdiomatic Prepositions

Read the sentence below. Which choice provides the idiomatically correct preposition for the underlined portion?

In his monograph on modern typography, the design critic argued that minimalist aesthetics are not necessarily synonymous to functional design.

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. synonymous withAnswer
  3. C
    synonymous for
  4. D
    synonymous of

Answer

The correct option is 'synonymous with' because the adjective 'synonymous' requires the preposition 'with' to form a standard English idiom.
The adjective 'synonymous' idiomatically requires the preposition 'with' when expressing that two terms or concepts share the same meaning or identity. Thus, 'synonymous with' is the only grammatically and idiomatically correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target word and the attached preposition in the underlined segment.
The target word is the adjective 'synonymous', currently paired with the preposition 'to'.
Idiomatic usage questions test whether specific adjectives, verbs, or nouns pair correctly with their conventional prepositions.
2
Recall standard English idiomatic conventions for the adjective 'synonymous'.
Standard written English dictates that 'synonymous' takes the preposition 'with' (e.g., 'X is synonymous with Y').
Prepositions such as 'to', 'for', or 'of' are non-standard pairings in formal English prose when following 'synonymous'.
3
Select the option that replaces the underlined text with the correct idiom.
Replacing 'synonymous to' with 'synonymous with' yields a grammatically and idiomatically precise sentence.
This substitution satisfies standard ACT conventions of usage.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Prepositions with Adjectives
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Idiomatic Prepositions

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