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Difficulty: Very hardPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

Which preposition correctly completes the prepositional verb in the sentence below?

Answer:Despite initial resistance from board members, the managing director managed to prevail 【upon】 the committee to approve the capital restructuring plan.

Answer

The preposition required to complete the prepositional verb is 'upon' (or 'on').
The prepositional verb 'prevail upon' (or 'prevail on') means to persuade someone to do something. In this context, the managing director successfully persuaded the committee to approve the restructuring plan.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the semantic context of the sentence.
The context describes a situation where someone successfully persuades or induces a group of people to agree to a plan after initial hesitation.
Identifying the target meaning of persuading someone is necessary to select the appropriate particle for the verb 'prevail'.
2
Determine the correct preposition that collocates with 'prevail' to express persuasion.
The prepositional verb 'prevail upon' (or 'prevail on') means to persuade or induce someone to do something.
Standard British English usage required by JAMB mandates 'upon' or 'on' when 'prevail' signifies persuasion.

Key Concept

Prepositional Verbs and Particle Selection
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Topics

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

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