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Difficulty: EasyIdiomatic Word Choice

In his latest research paper, the marine biologist explained that the migration patterns of humpback whales are similar with those of blue whales, suggesting a shared evolutionary history. Which of the following is the best replacement for the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. similar toAnswer
  3. C
    similar than
  4. D
    similar from

Answer

similar to
The correct answer is 'similar to' because the adjective 'similar' must be paired with the preposition 'to' to form the correct idiomatic phrase when comparing two things.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the comparison being made in the sentence.
The sentence compares 'the migration patterns of humpback whales' with 'those of blue whales' using the adjective 'similar'.
Recognizing the comparison points to the need for a preposition to link 'similar' to the second object of comparison.
2
Evaluate the idiomatically correct preposition that follows 'similar'.
The standard English idiom for comparing things that are alike is 'similar to'.
Using other prepositions such as 'with', 'from', or comparison words like 'than' violates idiomatic English conventions.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Prepositions
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Topics

Idiomatic Word Choice

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