Which word correctly completes the sentence below to form a standard English collocation?

Answer:The severe macroeconomic instability threatens to 【wreak】 havoc on the nation's fragile manufacturing sector.

Answer

The correct verb to complete the collocation is 'wreak', forming the fixed phrase 'wreak havoc on'.

In standard English, the fixed expression meaning to cause great damage, chaos, or confusion is 'to wreak havoc on'. The verb 'wreak' is uniquely collocated with 'havoc' in this formal context.

Step-by-Step Solution

Analyze the sentence context and identify the target noun 'havoc' followed by the preposition 'on'.

Recognize that the sentence requires a verb that combines with 'havoc on' to convey causing widespread destruction or chaos.

English lexis relies on established verb-noun collocations to express specific idiomatic meanings.

Select the verb that conventionally pairs with 'havoc'.

Identify 'wreak' as the correct collocate, yielding 'wreak havoc on'.

'Wreak' is the standard, idiomatically correct verb used in formal British and international English with 'havoc'.

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Collocations and Fixed Phrases

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