Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the…
2021
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If no substitution is required, select No improvement.
The Indian team is expected to be selected on the end of this month.
- A.
by
- B.
to
- C.
in
- D.
no improvement
Attempted by 46 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Concept: When a preposition introduces the time by which an action must be completed, English uses 'by' + a time expression to mean 'no later than' that time (a deadline). Each preposition of time has a fixed role: 'by' marks a deadline, 'in' marks a period or eventual outcome, 'to' marks direction or a range up to a point, and 'on' is used with specific days and dates.
Application: The sentence states that the team is expected to be selected no later than the last day of the month — that is a deadline. The deadline sense calls for 'by', giving “selected by the end of this month”.
Corrected sentence: The Indian team is expected to be selected by the end of this month.
Contrast of the other prepositions:
'on the end of this month' — 'on' attaches to specific days and dates (for example, 'on Monday', 'on May 5'), not to 'end' to express a deadline, so it is ungrammatical here.
'to the end of this month' — 'to' marks direction or a span up to a limit, not the deadline by which something happens.
'in the end of this month' — 'in the end' is a fixed phrase meaning 'eventually', a different meaning that does not fit a deadline.
Cross-check: Substituting 'by' yields a grammatical, deadline-bearing sentence, while each alternative either changes the meaning or is ungrammatical — confirming 'by the end of this month'.
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