Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks in the sentence:-
I warned him not to meddle _____ my papers lest I lose important documents.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → with
Complete sentence: I warned him not to meddle with my papers lest I lose important documents. The speaker did not want him to disturb the papers in case important documents got lost, so the pair needed is "meddle with my papers".
| Option | Used to show | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) to | "Meddle to" is not an English phrase. "To" shows direction or purpose. | She went to the office early. |
| (2) about | on the subject of. We talk or worry about something, but we do not "meddle about" papers. | They talked about the match all evening. |
| (3) by | the agent or a means. "Meddle by my papers" makes no sense. | The letter was written by my grandfather. |
| (4) with (answer) | Some verbs always take one particular preposition. The verb and the preposition are learnt as a pair. To meddle with something means to touch or interfere with something that is not one's concern, often causing damage or disorder. | Please do not meddle with the wires of the machine. |