In the following question, a sentence is given with a blank to be filled in with an appropriate word. Select the correct alternative out of the four: I have _____ respect for his achievement.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: profound

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question is about choosing the most natural adjective that collocates with respect in the sentence “I have _____ respect for his achievement.” The sentence expresses how deeply the speaker admires or values someone's success. The correct adjective should fit both in meaning and in common usage with the noun respect.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Sentence: “I have _____ respect for his achievement.”
  • Options: abundant, profound, strong, unique.
  • We want an adjective that describes deep admiration and appears naturally before respect.
  • The context is positive, describing admiration for an achievement.


Concept / Approach:
In English, profound respect is a standard and widely used phrase indicating very deep, sincere admiration. Strong respect is less common; people usually say deep respect or great respect instead. Abundant respect sounds odd since abundant typically describes quantities that can be counted or measured physically. Unique respect is not standard as a collocation. Therefore, profound is the best choice to capture deep and serious admiration.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Try “abundant respect”: the phrase sounds unnatural, because abundant is used with words like rainfall, resources, or supply, not normally with respect.Try “profound respect”: this is a familiar expression meaning very deep and sincere admiration.Try “strong respect”: while not impossible, it is not the usual adjective collocation with respect; writers prefer deep, great, or profound.Try “unique respect”: this sounds strange, as respect is normally measured in intensity or degree, not uniqueness.Therefore, profound best captures both meaning and natural usage.


Verification / Alternative check:
Read the complete sentence: “I have profound respect for his achievement.” This sounds like something you might hear in a formal speech or read in a recommendation letter, clearly expressing deep admiration. If you replace profound with strong or abundant, the sentence instantly feels less natural and polished.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Abundant is mostly used for physical or numerical quantities like abundant rainfall or abundant evidence. Strong respect is grammatically possible but not a common fixed phrase; strong is more often used with words like opinion or influence. Unique suggests one of a kind, which does not describe intensity of respect. None of these alternatives match the idiomatic and expressive power of profound respect.


Common Pitfalls:
Examinees sometimes choose strong because it seems obviously positive, but high frequency adjectives are not always the most idiomatic choice. Competitive English tests often require you to recognise set phrases or collocations, such as profound respect, deep respect, and great respect. Building a mental list of common adjective noun combinations is a helpful long term strategy for such questions.


Final Answer:
The sentence should read, “I have profound respect for his achievement.”

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