Idioms & Phrasal Verbs – Choose the option that best captures the meaning of the highlighted expression in context. Sentence: He “passed himself off as” a noble man.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Pretended to be

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of the English idiom “pass oneself off as,” which appears in the sentence: “He passed himself off as a noble man.” Idioms are fixed expressions whose overall meaning cannot be fully predicted from the individual words. Recognising the established sense of such expressions is essential for accuracy in reading comprehension and verbal ability.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The verb phrase in focus is “pass himself off as.”
  • The subject deliberately presents a false identity or status.
  • We must select the option that reflects intentional deception rather than passive public opinion.


Concept / Approach:
The idiom “pass oneself off as X” means to pretend to be X in order to deceive others. The key components are agency (the subject does it deliberately) and falsity (the claimed identity is not genuine). Options that describe how others regarded him, without implying his deliberate deception, miss the idiomatic meaning. Therefore, we should choose the paraphrase that preserves both intention and falseness.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Identify the idiom: “pass oneself off as.”Recall its standard meaning: pretend to be; represent oneself falsely as.Compare options for agency and falsity: only “Pretended to be” encodes both.Eliminate options that merely report public perception (“was regarded as,” “was thought to be,” “was looked upon”).


Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute the best option into the sentence: “He pretended to be a noble man.” The sentence remains coherent and preserves the idea of deception. In dictionaries and corpora, “pass off” is consistently glossed as “misrepresent” or “present falsely,” reinforcing our choice.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Was regarded as: Describes others’ opinion, not his deliberate act.
  • Was thought to be: Again, a passive public belief, not deception.
  • Was looked upon: A perception phrase; no suggestion of pretense.


Common Pitfalls:
Learners often confuse who is acting and who is judging. If the structure is “pass himself off,” the subject is the deceiver, not merely the object of others’ views. Watch for the preposition “as,” which introduces the false role or identity.


Final Answer:
Pretended to be

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