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Question

Difficulty: MediumIdiomatic Prepositions

Read the sentence below:

The lead curator noted that the board of trustees was surprisingly receptive for the controversial proposal to loan the rare manuscripts to international museums.

Which of the following options best replaces the underlined portion to make the sentence idiomatically correct?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. receptive toAnswer
  3. C
    receptive with
  4. D
    receptive on

Answer

The phrase should be changed to 'receptive to' because the adjective 'receptive' idiomatically takes the preposition 'to' when describing openness to suggestions or proposals.
The adjective 'receptive' requires the preposition 'to' to form a standard idiomatic expression meaning open or responsive to something.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key word modifying the preposition in the underlined phrase.
The target word is the adjective 'receptive'.
Prepositional idioms depend on specific conventions dictated by the preceding verb, noun, or adjective.
2
Determine the standard English preposition that pairs idiomatically with 'receptive'.
In standard English, one is 'receptive to' something (e.g., an idea, proposal, or feedback).
'Receptive' indicates openness toward receiving something, which requires the directional preposition 'to'.
3
Evaluate the choices to select the idiomatically correct preposition.
The phrasing 'receptive to' is the only grammatically and idiomatically correct option.
Alternatives using 'for', 'with', or 'on' violate established conventions of usage.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Prepositions (Adjective + Preposition Pairings)
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Topics

Idiomatic Prepositions

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