Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPrepositions and Prepositional Phrases

During the annual audit, the financial controller observed that the reported expenditure was sharply at variance ______ the approved budgetary allocations. Which preposition correctly completes the sentence?

  1. withAnswer
  2. B
    from
  3. C
    to
  4. D
    against

Answer

The correct preposition is 'with', forming the standard prepositional phrase 'at variance with'.
The preposition 'with' is correct because 'at variance with' is an established English prepositional phrase meaning inconsistent or in conflict with a specified standard or rule.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context to identify the core expression requiring a preposition.
The target structure is the idiomatic phrase 'at variance ______'.
The sentence expresses an inconsistency between expenditure figures and approved budget allocations.
2
Select the obligatory preposition that collocates with 'at variance'.
The standard English fixed collocation is 'at variance with'.
In standard English grammar, 'at variance' strictly takes the preposition 'with' when introducing the point of disagreement or divergence.

Key Concept

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases (Fixed Collocations)
Rate this question

Topics

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

More questions from this topic