A part of the following sentence is underlined. Choose the option that can replace the underlined part to improve the sentence. If you feel Options A, B, or C do not improve the sentence, then choose Option D: "No improvement required."
The old man tried for vain to make amends with his estranged daughter before he passed away.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The Phrase "In Vain": The correct English idiom is "in vain," which means "without success" or "to no avail." The original sentence used "for vain," which is grammatically incorrect.
The Phrase "Make Amends": The standard idiom for attempting to repair a relationship or correct a mistake is "to make amends."
Option A ("do amends") and Option B ("fix amends") use incorrect verb collocations.
Correct Sentence: "The old man tried in vain to make amends with his estranged daughter before he passed away."