Before submitting the final manuscript of the research grant proposal to the committee, th… — JAMB UTME

Before submitting the final manuscript of the research grant proposal to the committee, the principal investigator spent several nights trying to __________ the intricate statistical data. Which of the following prepositional verbs correctly completes the sentence?

A
pour over
pore overAnswer
C
pore through
D
pour at

Answer

The correct option is 'pore over', which means to examine or study document contents with intense focus and care.

The prepositional verb 'pore over' means to study, read, or analyze something with concentrated attention. In the context of examining intricate statistical data, 'pore over' is the grammatically and idiomatically appropriate expression.

Step-by-Step Solution

Analyze the contextual meaning of the sentence.

The subject (principal investigator) is examining complex statistical data meticulously before submitting a grant proposal.

Identifying the target semantic requirement ('to examine attentively') determines the required prepositional verb.

Distinguish between the homophones 'pore' and 'pour'.

'Pore' relates to focused reading/gazing, whereas 'pour' refers to the flow of liquids.

Confusing homophonic roots is a frequent lexical trap in JAMB UTME.

Select the correct fixed preposition required by 'pore'.

'Pore' pairs strictly with 'over' to mean examine carefully.

'Pore through' and 'pour at' violate standard British English prepositional collocation rules.

Key Concept

Prepositional Verbs and Homophonic Confusables

Question

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Topics

More questions from this topic