Devoid Usage: Correct Preposition Choice

The question asks to fill in the blank in the sentence: "I have never looked on a face that was so devoid ______ feeling." This requires choosing the correct preposition to pair with the word 'devoid'.

The word 'devoid' means entirely lacking or free from something. In standard English usage, 'devoid' is almost always followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate what is missing.

The phrase 'devoid of' is a common collocation, meaning something is completely wanting or without a particular quality or thing.

For example:

• The desert landscape was devoid of life.
• His speech was devoid of any real substance.

Therefore, the correct preposition to complete the given sentence is 'of'.

Analyzing Preposition Options

Let's examine why the other options are incorrect:

• by: The phrase 'devoid by' is not grammatically correct in English. Prepositions like 'by' usually indicate agency or method, which doesn't fit the meaning of lacking something.
• in: 'Devoid in' is also grammatically incorrect. 'In' typically signifies location or inclusion, not absence.
• at: Similar to 'by' and 'in', 'devoid at' is not a standard English phrase. 'At' often relates to a specific point or location.
• of: This preposition correctly follows 'devoid' to signify absence, making 'devoid of' the standard and accurate phrase.

Final Sentence Explanation

By inserting the correct preposition 'of', the sentence reads:

I have never looked on a face that was so devoid of feeling.

This implies that the face being described showed no signs of emotion or sensitivity, it was completely lacking in feeling.