In English grammar and usage, choose the correct preposition to complete the sentence: I insisted ________ his leaving the place.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence completion question tests your knowledge of correct prepositional usage in English, especially with verbs that have fixed preposition patterns. Many competitive exams frequently ask about verb plus preposition combinations such as "insist on", "depend on", or "apologise for", and this is a typical example of that pattern.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: "I insisted ________ his leaving the place."
• Verb: "insisted".
• Object of the preposition: "his leaving the place" (a gerund phrase).
• Options: on, about, in, with.
• We assume the speaker is firmly demanding or strongly stating that he should leave.

Concept / Approach:
Certain English verbs are followed by a particular preposition. For the verb "insist", the usual pattern is "insist on something" or "insist on doing something". This is a fixed collocation. Therefore, we must choose the preposition that correctly completes this verb pattern. The other prepositions either do not fit with "insisted" or drastically change the meaning in an unnatural way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the standard pattern: the verb "insist" is followed by the preposition "on". Example: "She insisted on paying the bill." Step 2: Substitute "on" in the sentence: "I insisted on his leaving the place." This is grammatically correct and natural English. Step 3: Test "about": "I insisted about his leaving the place" is incorrect usage; we usually say "insist on something", not "insist about something". Step 4: Test "in": "I insisted in his leaving the place" is not a standard combination and sounds wrong to a native speaker. Step 5: Test "with": "I insisted with his leaving the place" is also incorrect. "Insist with" is not used in this way in standard English. Step 6: Conclude that only "on" correctly matches the verb pattern and the intended meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can think of more examples: "They insisted on our staying for dinner", "He insisted on his rights", and "The teacher insisted on discipline". In all of these sentences, "on" follows "insisted". No other preposition is normally used in this structure. Grammar books and exam preparation guides for English usage also list "insist on" as the correct combination.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• about: We talk "about" a topic, but we do not "insist about" an action. This collocation is incorrect.
• in: "Insist in" is not a valid combination in this context, and it makes the sentence sound unnatural.
• with: We may "agree with" or "argue with" someone, but we do not "insist with" someone regarding an action like leaving.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners are often tempted to use prepositions like "about" because they know that we "talk about" or "argue about" things. However, each verb has its own fixed preposition patterns. In examination questions, the key skill is to remember these patterns through regular reading and practice. Confusing similar verbs or prepositions can easily lead to errors in sentence completion items.

Final Answer:
The correct preposition that completes the standard verb pattern is on.