Choose the correct word that appropriately replaces the underlined words in the given sentence:
The committee decided to call off the celebrations due to the escalation of the situation in the province.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → cancel
A phrasal verb is a verb joined with a small word such as up, out or together. The two words together have a new meaning.
- Call off is a phrasal verb meaning to cancel an event or plan that was going to take place. The committee decided not to hold the celebrations because the situation in the province had become worse.
Example: The match was called off because of rain. - Cancel means to decide that a planned event will not take place. It has the same sense, so cancel can replace "call off" in this sentence.
Example: The airline cancelled all flights due to fog.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: initiate — Incorrect. Initiate means to begin something, the opposite of calling it off.
Example: The government initiated a cleanliness drive.
Option 3: postpone — Incorrect. Postpone means to put off to a later time. The event still takes place later, whereas calling it off ends it.
Example: The exam was postponed by a week.
Option 4: break — Incorrect. Break means to smash into pieces, or to fail to keep a promise or rule. One does not "break" celebrations.
Example: Never break a promise.