Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined words in the following sentence.
The interdisciplinary approach utilised in this study facilitates comprehensive understanding of the complex phenomenon under investigation.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. facilitated a comprehensive understanding.
The original sentence is in the present tense ("utilised" is actually incorrect—it should be "utilizes" in standard present-tense usage). Since we are substituting the phrase, we need to ensure grammatical consistency.
"facilitated a comprehensive understanding" (Correct) – This maintains past tense if the sentence originally intended past action.
"will have facilitated a comprehensive understanding" (Incorrect) – Changes the tense to future perfect, which alters the meaning.
"utilises a comprehensive understanding" (Incorrect) – Changes "facilitates" to "utilises," which shifts the meaning.
"is facilitates a comprehensive understanding" (Incorrect) – Grammatically incorrect.