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Question

Difficulty: EasyIdiomatic Prepositions

Although the lead scientist preferred to run the experiment using a new set of variables, the lab director insisted in adhering to the original protocol.

Which choice best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. insisted onAnswer
  3. C
    insisted at
  4. D
    insisted to

Answer

insisted on
The verb 'insist' requires the preposition 'on' (or 'upon') when followed by a noun phrase or a gerund (such as 'adhering'). Therefore, the option containing 'insisted on' is the only grammatically and idiomatically correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined verb-preposition combination 'insisted in'.
The preposition 'in' is paired with the verb 'insist'.
To evaluate whether this pairing matches standard English idiomatic usage.
2
Determine the correct preposition that idiomatically follows 'insist' when expressing a firm demand.
The verb 'insist' requires the preposition 'on' (or 'upon') when followed by a gerund like 'adhering'.
Standard idiomatic English conventions dictate that a person insists on an action.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that uses 'on'.
The option containing 'insisted on' is correct.
It resolves the idiomatic error by replacing 'in' with the correct preposition 'on'.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Prepositions
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Topics

Idiomatic Prepositions

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