Choose the correct word(s) to fill in the blanks. The advantage __________…
2020
Choose the correct word(s) to fill in the blanks.
The advantage __________ investing __________ post office schemes is that we get exemption __________ tax.
- A.
of; by; in
- B.
in; among; by
- C.
in; by; in
- D.
of; in; from
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
English regularly locks specific nouns and verbs to one fixed preposition — a set collocation that has to be learned as a whole phrase, not worked out from a general rule. Two prepositions that seem close in meaning are often not interchangeable once a particular noun or verb is involved.
'The advantage __ investing': the standard collocation for stating a benefit of doing something is 'advantage of' + a gerund, as in 'the advantage of exercising regularly'.
'investing __ post office schemes': the standard collocation for putting money into something is 'invest in' + a noun, as in 'invest in stocks/bonds/schemes'.
'exemption __ tax': the standard collocation for being excused from an obligation is 'exemption from' + a noun, as in 'exemption from income tax'.
Reading the completed sentence back — 'The advantage of investing in post office schemes is that we get exemption from tax' — every blank matches a collocation attested independently across Oxford, Cambridge, and Merriam-Webster, confirming the choice rather than relying on elimination.