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Question

Difficulty: HardCollocations and Fixed Phrases

The chief analyst remarked that the recent empirical findings failed to _____ credence to the board's optimistic market projections. Which of the following words correctly completes the fixed English collocation in the sentence?

  1. lendAnswer
  2. B
    give
  3. C
    grant
  4. D
    yield

Answer

The word that correctly completes the sentence to form a standard fixed collocation is 'lend'.
In standard English grammar and lexis, the verb 'lend' uniquely combines with 'credence to' to form the established collocation 'lend credence to', meaning to make a theory, claim, or report seem more credible or believable.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the noun phrase that requires a collocating verb.
The target phrase is '_____ credence to'.
In English lexis, certain nouns require specific verbs to express particular idiomatic meanings.
2
Evaluate the verbs against standard formal English usage.
The verb 'lend' forms the standard fixed collocation 'lend credence to'.
While 'give' or 'yield' share semantic overlap, only 'lend' creates the conventional formal phrase meaning to support the credibility of something.

Key Concept

Fixed Verb-Noun Collocations
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Topics

Collocations and Fixed Phrases

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