Use suitable prepositions in the following sentence.
"The exercise was written ________ me ________ a Parker pen."
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → by, with
"By" for the doer, "with" for the instrument:
- In a passive sentence, by introduces the doer of the action: written by me.
- With introduces the instrument or tool used to do it: with a Parker pen.
- Complete sentence: The exercise was written by me with a Parker pen.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: by, through — Incorrect. Through means from one side to the other, or by way of a channel or person. A pen is held and used, so it takes "with".
Option 2: for, by — Incorrect. "for me" would mean someone else wrote it on my behalf, and "by a Parker pen" wrongly makes the pen the doer.
Option 3: for, from — Incorrect. "for me" again hides the doer, and "from" shows a starting point or source, not a tool.