Question

Difficulty: MediumPrepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Read the sentence below:

'The committee rejected the proposed financial report because its executive summary was completely devoid _____ verifiable supporting documentation.'

Which preposition correctly completes the sentence?

  1. ofAnswer
  2. B
    with
  3. C
    from
  4. D
    in

Answer

The correct preposition is 'of'.
The adjective 'devoid' standardly collocates with the preposition 'of' when indicating a complete lack or absence of a quality, feature, or item.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target adjective in the sentence requiring a dependent preposition.
The word 'devoid' functions as a predicate adjective meaning 'entirely lacking or free from'.
Adjectives in English frequently require specific dependent prepositions to complete their prepositional complement.
2
Determine the standard prepositional collocation for 'devoid'.
The established grammatical structure is 'devoid of [something]'.
Standard English grammar dictates that 'devoid' collocates exclusively with 'of'.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions following adjectives
Estimated Time:45s
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