Directions: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space and four words or groups of words given after the sentence. Select whichever word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly. The football match has to be _______ because of the weather.
called off
Understanding Phrasal Verbs for Events and Weather
The question asks us to choose the most appropriate word or group of words to fill the blank in the sentence: "The football match has to be _______ because of the weather." This sentence describes a situation where a planned event (a football match) is affected by external circumstances (the weather), requiring a change in its schedule or status.
Analyzing the Options
Let's look at the meanings of the phrasal verbs provided as options:
- called off: This phrasal verb means to cancel something that was scheduled to happen. For example, "The picnic was called off because of rain."
- continued: This means to carry on or keep going. This is the opposite of what would happen to a match if the weather is bad enough to stop it.
- put off: This phrasal verb means to postpone something to a later time or date. For example, "The meeting was put off until next week."
- turned off: This means to switch off a device, light, or water supply. It is completely irrelevant to a football match in this context.
Determining the Best Fit for "because of the weather"
The phrase "because of the weather" indicates that the bad weather is preventing the match from happening as planned. When an event is cancelled or postponed due to conditions like bad weather, specific phrasal verbs are used.
Considering the options:
- "continued" is incorrect because bad weather typically stops an event, not continues it.
- "turned off" is incorrect as it refers to switching off something mechanical or electrical.
- Both "called off" (cancelled) and "put off" (postponed) are plausible actions that might be taken for a football match due to weather. However, "called off" directly means cancellation, which is a very common outcome when weather makes play impossible or dangerous at the scheduled time. "Put off" means rescheduling. The sentence structure "has to be" implies a necessary action due to the current situation. While postponement is possible, cancellation is a direct response to conditions making the event impossible. In many contexts, "called off" is used specifically for cancellations due to external factors like weather.
Therefore, "called off," meaning cancelled, is the most appropriate and common phrasal verb used when an event like a football match is stopped from happening because of bad weather.
Step-by-Step Analysis
- Identify the context: A football match and bad weather.
- Determine the relationship: Bad weather affects the match negatively.
- Consider the potential actions: The match might be stopped, delayed, or cancelled.
- Evaluate the phrasal verbs based on their meanings:
- called off = cancelled
- continued = kept going
- put off = postponed
- turned off = switched off
- Match the meanings to the context: Bad weather can cause a match to be cancelled or postponed. "Continued" and "turned off" don't fit.
- Select the most fitting phrasal verb: "Called off" (cancelled) is a very common and direct consequence of weather making a match unplayable at the scheduled time. "Put off" (postponed) is also possible but "called off" often implies cancellation, especially when the immediate conditions make play impossible.
Based on common usage for events interrupted by weather, "called off" is the best fit.
Revision Table: Phrasal Verbs for Events
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example related to events |
|---|---|---|
| Call off | To cancel something | The concert was called off due to a power cut. |
| Put off | To postpone something | Let's put off the meeting until Friday. |
| Carry on / Go on | To continue | Despite the noise, they carried on with the performance. |
| Set up | To arrange or establish | They set up the stage for the festival. |
Additional Information on Phrasal Verbs and Context
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and an adverb or a preposition (or sometimes both). Their meaning is often different from the meaning of the individual words. Understanding the context of a sentence is crucial for choosing the correct phrasal verb.
In this specific sentence, the cause ("because of the weather") dictates the likely action taken regarding the football match. Severe weather conditions like heavy rain, snow, lightning, or strong winds often make it impossible or unsafe to play, leading to either cancellation ("called off") or postponement ("put off"). While "put off" is a possibility, "called off" is a very common expression specifically for cancelling events due to such external factors at the scheduled time.
Paying attention to common collocations and the specific nuance of each phrasal verb is key to mastering their usage in English.
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