Choose the option that will replace the error highlighted in bold.
Despite his apology, she refused to accept his gift and did not except his explanation.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
accept, accept
Explanation
The question asks you to choose the correct pair of words to fix the error in the sentence. This question tests your ability to distinguish between homophones—words that sound identical or very similar but have completely different meanings and spellings.
The two words being tested are accept and except. Let's break down their definitions:
Accept is a verb that means to willingly receive, agree to, or take something that is offered, such as to accept a gift, to accept an apology, or to accept an explanation.
Except is most commonly used as a preposition or conjunction that means "excluding" or "apart from", like in the sentence: I like all fruit except apples.
Looking at the sentence structure:
First, "...she refused to accept his gift..." — Here, she is refusing to receive a physical object, so the verb "accept" is correct.
Second, "...and did not except his explanation." — Here, the sentence states she did not agree with or receive his statement as true. Therefore, the word "except" is incorrect and must be replaced by the verb "accept".
Both positions in the sentence require the action of receiving or agreeing to something. Therefore, both words must be "accept," making Option 1 the correct choice.
Key Points
Differentiating between confusing homophones on exams is straightforward when you remember that "Accept" starts with an "A" for Agreeing or Receiving, while "Except" starts with an "E" for Excluding or Leaving out.
Using "except" as a verb is rare and means to exclude someone or something from a statement or rule, which does not fit the context of processing an explanation.