Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

After hours of intense negotiation, the mediator was finally able to ________ the striking workers to accept the management's revised compensation package.

Which of the following phrasal verbs correctly completes the sentence?

  1. prevail uponAnswer
  2. B
    prevail over
  3. C
    prevail against
  4. D
    prevail with

Answer

The correct phrasal verb is 'prevail upon'.
The phrasal verb 'prevail upon' (or 'prevail on') means to successfully persuade or induce someone to do something. In the given context, the mediator successfully persuades the workers to accept the management's offer.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The context describes a mediator persuading striking workers to accept a contract offer.
Identifying the precise semantic role of the verb is necessary to choose the correct particle.
2
Evaluate the meanings of phrasal verbs formed with 'prevail'
'Prevail upon' means to persuade someone to do something; 'prevail over/against' means to defeat or overcome opposition.
Different prepositions attached to the root verb 'prevail' completely alter its contextual meaning.
3
Select the option matching the persuasive context
'Prevail upon' accurately fills the gap both syntactically and semantically.
It follows the standard pattern 'prevail upon [someone] to [do something]' in formal English.

Key Concept

Contextual distinction between prepositional combinations of 'prevail' ('prevail upon' vs 'prevail over/against')
Rate this question

Topics

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

More questions from this topic