Understanding Alibi Inconsistency

The question requires selecting the most fitting word to complete the sentence: "The detective remained suspicious of the suspect's alibi, as it was inconsistent ________ the evidence." The core of the sentence involves a detective's suspicion about a suspect's alibi and its relationship to the evidence.

Grammar Rule: Prepositions with 'Inconsistent'

The word 'inconsistent' means not staying the same throughout, or not compatible or in keeping with something else. When discussing incompatibility or lack of agreement between two things, the standard preposition to use with 'inconsistent' is 'with'.

The phrase 'inconsistent with' is used to show that one thing does not match or agree with another.

Analyzing the Options

Let's examine each option to see why it fits or doesn't fit the context:

• 1. with: The phrase "inconsistent with" correctly expresses that the alibi does not align or agree with the evidence. This is the standard grammatical construction.
• 2. of: Using 'of' here ("inconsistent of") is grammatically incorrect in standard English.
• 3. to: The preposition 'to' is not suitable in this context ("inconsistent to"). It does not form a correct grammatical link between 'inconsistent' and 'evidence'.
• 4. in: While 'inconsistent' can sometimes be followed by 'in' (e.g., "He was inconsistent in his attendance"), this usage refers to inconsistency within a single subject or action, not between two separate items like an alibi and evidence. Thus, "inconsistent in the evidence" does not fit the intended meaning.

Determining the Correct Word

The sentence explains why the detective is suspicious: the suspect's alibi contradicts the evidence. The most appropriate way to express this contradiction using the word 'inconsistent' is by pairing it with the preposition 'with'.

Therefore, the completed sentence reads: "The detective remained suspicious of the suspect's alibi, as it was inconsistent with the evidence."