Question

Difficulty: EasyCollocations and Fixed Phrases

Which word correctly completes the fixed English idiom in the sentence below?

Answer:Due to the sudden rise in commodity prices, many low-income families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends 【meet】.

Answer

meet
The expression 'make ends meet' is an established English idiom meaning to manage financially so that income covers expenditures. 'Meet' is the only word that correctly completes this fixed phrase.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the fixed idiom in the sentence context.
The sentence presents the idiom structure 'make ends _____', which means to earn just enough money to cover one's living expenses.
English fixed phrases rely on specific word pairings established by conventional usage.
2
Select the conventional collocative word to complete the idiom.
The word 'meet' correctly completes the fixed expression 'make ends meet'.
Substituting any other word violates the established idiomatic structure of standard English.

Key Concept

Collocations and Fixed Phrases
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