Vocabulary (phrasal verb with pay): choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence. Can you pay ________ all these articles?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of the correct preposition used with the verb \"pay\" when talking about buying goods. The sentence is about paying the cost of articles you are purchasing, and only one of the given prepositions fits the standard English expression.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: Can you pay ________ all these articles?
• Options: out, of, for, off.
• The context is a request to settle the cost of several items.
• We assume the speaker is asking whether someone can bear the expense.

Concept / Approach:
When we talk about giving money in exchange for goods or services, we use the phrasal pattern \"pay for\" something. This is the standard collocation in English: \"pay for the books\", \"pay for the ticket\", \"pay for the meal\". Other prepositions create completely different meanings or ungrammatical phrases.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Replace each option in the blank and read the full sentence. Step 2: \"Can you pay out all these articles?\" sounds wrong because \"pay out\" normally means to distribute money, often for compensation or prizes, and would usually be followed by an amount, not \"articles\". Step 3: \"Can you pay of all these articles?\" is grammatically incorrect because \"pay of\" is not a valid combination. Step 4: \"Can you pay off all these articles?\" might be used in some contexts to mean \"pay off\" a debt, but the object would then be \"debt\" or \"loan\", not the articles themselves in a shop. Step 5: \"Can you pay for all these articles?\" is natural and idiomatic, meaning \"Can you bear the cost of all these items?\" Therefore, \"for\" is correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check other common examples: \"Who will pay for the damage?\", \"She paid for the tickets\", \"I will pay for dinner tonight.\" In every case, the preposition is \"for\" followed by the thing bought or compensated. This consistent pattern confirms that \"for\" is the only suitable preposition here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option \"out\": \"Pay out\" is used when money is given, often by a company or system, for example, \"The insurance company paid out a large sum.\" It is not used with a direct object like \"articles\" in this context. Option \"of\": There is no standard phrasal verb \"pay of\". The phrase is simply incorrect grammatically. Option \"off\": \"Pay off\" means to clear a debt or bribe someone. You pay off a loan, a mortgage, or sometimes a person, not the articles directly in a shop.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often overextend the use of \"pay off\" because they hear it in contexts like \"pay off the loan\" or \"pay off the car\". Remember that when the focus is on the cost of items you are acquiring, the correct pattern is always \"pay for\" plus the items.

Final Answer:
The sentence should read: Can you pay for all these articles? Hence, the correct option is for.