In this sentence improvement question, choose the most appropriate word to replace the underlined verb in the sentence "He refused the charge brought against him" so that the sentence accurately expresses that he said the accusation was not true.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your ability to select the most precise verb in a sentence improvement setting. The sentence given is "He refused the charge brought against him". In legal and formal English, there is a standard verb used when a person says that an accusation is not true. The aim is to identify and choose that verb so that the sentence becomes more accurate in meaning and style.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is "He".
• The object is "the charge brought against him", which refers to an accusation or allegation.
• The original verb is "refused".
• The suggested alternatives are "disagreed", "disowned", "denied", and "No improvement".

Concept / Approach:
Sentence improvement questions often check for collocations and precise legal or formal usage. In legal language, when an accused person states that a charge is not true, the correct verb is "deny". Expressions such as "deny the charge", "deny the allegation", or "deny the accusation" are standard. The verb "refuse" usually relates to turning down an offer, request, or invitation, not to stating that an accusation is false.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the context: someone has been accused and is saying that the accusation is not true.Step 2: Note the phrase "the charge brought against him", which clearly suggests a legal or formal charge.Step 3: Recall standard verbs used with "charge" in this context: "deny a charge" is the usual expression.Step 4: Compare the meaning of each option with the required idea of rejecting the truth of an accusation.Step 5: Recognise that "denied" is the only option that fits perfectly, changing the sentence to "He denied the charge brought against him".

Verification / Alternative check:
After substitution, the sentence becomes "He denied the charge brought against him", which is a common and natural sentence in news reports and legal documents. If we try "disagreed the charge" it is ungrammatical. "Disowned the charge" is also unnatural, because "disown" is used with relationships or responsibility, as in "disown a son" or "disown responsibility". "Refused the charge" is not standard, since one refuses a request or offer, not an allegation. Thus "denied" is clearly the best choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Disagreed" cannot take "charge" directly as an object in this way. One can disagree with a person or an opinion but not "disagree a charge". "Disowned" suggests rejecting a relation or ownership, such as disowning a property or child, and is not used with allegations. "No improvement" would preserve the incorrect collocation "refused the charge", which does not match standard English usage in legal or formal reporting.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to think that "refuse" works whenever someone does not accept something, but remember that different verbs are tied to specific objects and contexts. Another pitfall is to choose "disagreed" because it feels like saying "I do not agree", but grammatically and collocationally it does not work with "charge" in this sentence. In legal contexts, always remember "deny a charge" as the correct pattern.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is denied, so the improved sentence reads "He denied the charge brought against him", which is grammatically correct and idiomatically appropriate in standard English.