Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Determine the collocation through the sentence.
He suffers from __________ pain in the joints.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. excruciating.
Context: The sentence “He suffers from __________ pain in the joints” is discussing the intensity and nature of the pain. The blank requires a word that appropriately describes severe or extreme pain, which is common in medical or descriptive contexts about joints or chronic conditions.
Meaning of the words:
Excruciating – extremely painful or intense; often used to describe suffering that is almost unbearable.
Quick – happening in a short time; does not convey intensity or severity.
Awkward – causing difficulty, discomfort, or embarrassment; unrelated to pain intensity.
External – situated on or related to the outside; irrelevant to describing the pain itself.
Correct word: excruciating
Reason: In English, certain adjectives naturally collocate with nouns to convey the intended meaning. “Excruciating pain” is the standard collocation used to describe severe or intense pain. Words like “quick pain,” “awkward pain,” or “external pain” are either grammatically awkward or semantically incorrect in this context.
Final Sentence: He suffers from excruciating pain in the joints.
Hence, the chosen option will be correct.