Choose the option which correctly fills the blank: "The microscopic animals are the primary...
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Choose the option which correctly fills the blank:
"The microscopic animals are the primary food for larval cod and their decline has meant that fewer fish are making it to adulthood to be caught _________ trawlermen."
Show answer & explanation
The sentence uses a passive voice construction ('to be caught'), where the agent performing the action (trawlermen) is introduced using the preposition 'by'.
Step-by-step Derivation:
Step 1: Analyze the grammatical structure of the clause 'to be caught _________ trawlermen'.
Step 2: Identify the verb phrase 'to be caught'. This is a passive infinitive form (be + past participle).
Step 3: In English grammar, the agent (the entity performing the action) in a passive construction is typically introduced by the preposition 'by' (e.g., 'The book was written by the author').
Step 4: Evaluate the options:
- 'by' (Option A): Correctly identifies the agent (trawlermen) who perform the act of catching.
- 'with' (Option B): Usually denotes an instrument (e.g., 'caught with a net'), not the agent.
- 'from' (Option C): Denotes origin or source, which is logically incorrect here.
- 'through' (Option D): Denotes a medium or process, which does not fit the agent-action relationship.
Step 5: Conclusion: 'by' is the only grammatically and logically correct preposition.