In the following question, select the one word that best substitutes the given phrase: “A person employed to drive a private or hired car.”

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Chauffeur

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks you to choose a single English word that accurately replaces a descriptive phrase. Such questions are known as one word substitution items. Here, the phrase describes “a person employed to drive a private or hired car.” To answer correctly, you must know the precise meanings and typical usage of the options. These items are very common in competitive exams and help check whether you can use concise, precise vocabulary instead of longer descriptive phrases.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The phrase defines someone whose job is to drive a private or hired car.
  • Option Chauffeur refers to a professional driver, usually employed to drive a private car or hired vehicle for another person.
  • Amateur usually refers to someone who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than as a profession.
  • Connoisseur refers to a person with expert knowledge and refined taste, often in food, art or wine.
  • Provocateur refers to a person who provokes, often politically, and is not related to driving.
  • The task is to identify which single word best matches the given definition.


Concept / Approach:
One word substitution questions require you to map a descriptive phrase to a single lexical item from the options. The correct option should not only roughly fit but should be the standard dictionary term that native speakers would use in formal and semi formal contexts. Meanwhile, the distractor options are often real words with very different meanings. Eliminating options that are obviously unrelated helps narrow the choices. The key is to focus on both the core activity described in the phrase and whether it is a professional or casual role.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the core meaning of the phrase. It clearly talks about a person whose job is to drive someone else's private or hired car. Step 2: Consider the option Chauffeur. A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a private or hired car or limousine for another individual or organisation. This definition matches the phrase almost word for word. Step 3: Examine the distractor options. Amateur is someone who does an activity as a hobby, not as paid employment. That does not match the sense of an employed driver. Step 4: Connoisseur is an expert judge of taste, usually in food, wine or art, which has nothing to do with driving. Step 5: Provocateur refers to a person who deliberately provokes others, often to cause political or social agitation. Again, this has no connection to the driving profession. Step 6: Since only Chauffeur matches the given phrase exactly, it is the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify your choice by imagining example sentences. For instance, “He works as a chauffeur for a wealthy family” fits the idea of being employed to drive a private car. The other words do not sensibly fit if you replace the phrase in such sentences. Additionally, standard dictionaries and everyday usage consistently use chauffeur to describe drivers employed for private cars or taxis in many formal contexts. This confirms that Chauffeur is the precise one word substitute.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Amateur describes the level of professionalism and implies someone is not paid or is unskilled, but it does not tell you anything about driving. Connoisseur is an expert in appreciating quality, not a driver. Provocateur is associated with provoking events or emotions, especially in politics, and has no relationship to operating a vehicle for hire. Because the question specifically focuses on an employed driver of a private or hired car, none of these other words can replace the phrase without changing the meaning.



Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes select words simply because they sound sophisticated or French, as Chauffeur and Connoisseur both do. However, relying only on sound can be misleading. Always recall or quickly deduce the actual meanings of the options. Another pitfall is overlooking the word employed, which signals a professional role and rules out terms related to hobbies. Training yourself to break the phrase into key ideas, such as profession plus driving, will help you answer one word substitution questions more accurately.


Final Answer:
The correct one word substitute is Chauffeur, so the correct answer is option Chauffeur.

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