Fill in the blank with the correct alternative :
The police were called _____ without delay by the residents.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → in
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.
Note: The given answer is as per the official NTA Answer Key. However, more than one answer is possible here: Option (1) "in" and Option (2) "out" both make a correct sentence, as explained below.
Option 1: in — Correct (Answer as per NTA).
- To call in the police (a doctor, an expert) means to ask them to come and help with a problem.
- The residents asked the police to come at once, so "The police were called in without delay by the residents" is correct and natural.
- Complete sentence: The police were called in without delay by the residents.
Example: The school called in a doctor when the boy fainted.
Option 2: out — Can also be considered as correct.
- To call out the police, the army or the fire brigade means to summon them, especially in an emergency (chiefly British English).
- "The police were called out without delay by the residents" is also a correct sentence.
Example: Fire engines were called out to the blaze at midnight.
Option 3: for — Incorrect.
- To call for something means to demand or need it. To call for a person means to come and collect them.
- "The police were called for" does not give the sense of the residents bringing the police in.
Example: This job calls for a lot of patience.
Option 4: off — Incorrect.
- To call off something means to cancel it.
- A plan or an event can be called off, but not the police, so the sentence makes no sense.
Example: The match was called off because of rain.