Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: with his sword
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of the correct preposition used to indicate an instrument or weapon in English. The original sentence is Maharana Pratap killed many enemy soldiers through his sword. While the meaning is more or less clear, the preposition through is not idiomatic when we want to express that a particular weapon was used. Competitive exams often ask such questions to check if candidates can select the natural and standard English expression.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In English, when we talk about the instrument or weapon used to perform an action, we generally use the preposition with. For example, He cut the fruit with a knife or She hit the ball with a bat. The phrase through his sword suggests movement from one side of the sword to the other, which is not the focus here. The option by his sword is also awkward in active voice; by is normally used in passive sentences to indicate the agent, like He was killed by the enemy. Therefore, with his sword is the correct and idiomatic choice.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the sword is being used as a weapon or instrument.
Step 2: Recall the standard pattern verb + object + with + instrument, such as killed them with his sword.
Step 3: Replace through with with to form with his sword.
Step 4: Read the corrected sentence: Maharana Pratap killed many enemy soldiers with his sword.
Step 5: Confirm that the sentence now sounds natural and clearly indicates the weapon used.
Verification / Alternative check:
Compare the corrected sentence with similar historical statements, for example, The warrior fought with a spear or The archer killed the enemy with an arrow. In each case, with introduces the weapon. Using through in any of these sentences would immediately sound wrong to a native speaker. The option by his sword would be acceptable only in a passive structure such as Many enemy soldiers were killed by his sword, but even there, with his sword is more natural. This confirms that with his sword is the best choice in the given active sentence.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
By his sword suggests that the sword is an agent in a passive structure; used in an active sentence with Maharana Pratap as the subject, it is clumsy and unidiomatic.
Across his sword describes location or movement from one side to another and does not convey the idea of using the sword as a weapon.
No improvement would keep through his sword, which is not standard English for indicating an instrument of action.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners who translate directly from their first language often use through to show that something happens by means of an object. However, in English, with is the normal preposition for instruments like tools and weapons. A good way to remember this is to fix the phrase with a sword or with a knife in your mind and apply the same pattern in similar sentences.
Final Answer:
The correct improvement is with his sword, giving: Maharana Pratap killed many enemy soldiers with his sword.
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