Choose the phrasal verb that can best replace the underlined phrase in the given sentence:
Parents complain that the board keeps making small, careless changes to the exam pattern every year, and the students pay the price.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → tinkering with
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.
Make small, careless changes to means to change small parts of something without enough care. Its closest meaning is tinkering with. Example: My brother kept making small, careless changes to the wiring, and the fan stopped working.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) cracking down on | starting to deal with wrong behaviour in a much stricter way | The police are cracking down on drivers who jump red lights. |
| (2) going over | checking or looking at something carefully | Please go over your answers before you hand in the paper. |
| (3) tinkering with (answer) | to make small changes to something, often without a clear plan and without making it better (same as make small, careless changes to) | Rahul spent the whole Sunday tinkering with his old cycle. |
| (4) holding on to | keeping something and not giving it up | Dadi still holds on to her mother’s old sewing machine. |