Select the appropriate option to complete the following sentence with the correct pair of preposition and pronoun:
Anita had found out about her surprise birthday party, but she kept the news ________ and acted shocked when the lights came on.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → to herself
Complete sentence: Anita had found out about her surprise birthday party, but she kept the news to herself and acted shocked when the lights came on. Anita knew about the party but told nobody and acted shocked.
| Option | Form and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) about herself | means on the subject of her own self | In the interview, Priya spoke about herself for two minutes. |
| (2) to herself (answer) | “keep something to oneself” means not tell it to anyone | Meena kept her exam result to herself till her parents came home. |
| (3) by herself | means alone or without help | My sister fixed the leaking tap by herself. |
| (4) in herself | means in her own nature or as a person | After the long illness, Dadi was weak but cheerful in herself. |