Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
Despite of his persistent efforts, the proposal was rejected.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
Despite his persistence
Explanation
Core Meaning: The sentence conveys that a proposal was turned down even though someone made continuous, determined attempts to get it approved.
The original phrase "Despite of" contains a critical grammatical error. In English, the preposition despite must never be followed by the word "of". It is a common exam trap designed to confuse "despite" with its exact synonym in spite of, which always requires the word "of". The correct option fixes this redundancy by removing "of" and cleanly linking the preposition to the possessive noun phrase.
Key Points
Core Definition: Concessive prepositions introduce contrasting facts, where "despite" is used directly without a prepositional modifier, while "in spite" requires the preposition "of".
Grammatical Role: Replacing a redundant prepositional structure with a grammatically correct modifier to establish contrast before the main independent clause.