Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: grumbled at
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on verb collocations and tense consistency in English. The sentence He ________ the low pay refers to a typical reaction to an unsatisfactory salary. In standard English, certain verbs naturally combine with particular prepositions and objects, forming fixed or semi fixed phrases. At the same time, the form of the verb must match the tense of the sentence, which in this case appears to be simple past. The correct option must satisfy both collocation and tense requirements.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Several verbs can be used to indicate dissatisfaction, such as complain, grumble, or moan. However, in this question, only grumbled at is already in the correct past tense form that agrees with He in a past description. Complain about is in base form and would need complained to be correct in the past. Moan at is also a base form. Ran after is unrelated in meaning, because to run after something means to pursue it, not to express dissatisfaction. The collocation grumbled at the low pay is idiomatic, and the past tense grumbled fits with the implied narrative context.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the sentence structure He ________ the low pay suggests a completed action in past time and requires a past tense verb or phrase.
Step 2: Examine moan at. The dictionary form would need to be He moaned at the low pay in past tense, but the option is not correctly inflected for simple past.
Step 3: Examine complain about. Again, in past tense we would expect He complained about the low pay, but the option remains in base form.
Step 4: Examine grumbled at. This is already in simple past and combines naturally with the object, giving He grumbled at the low pay, which means he expressed discontent.
Step 5: Examine ran after, which would produce He ran after the low pay, an illogical meaning implying he pursued the low pay rather than objected to it.
Step 6: Conclude that grumbled at is both grammatically and semantically appropriate.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider natural sentences: He grumbled at the low pay is a standard way of describing someone complaining in a quiet or bad tempered way about salary. In contrast, He complain about the low pay is ungrammatical, and He moan at the low pay would require moaned to be correct. Dictionaries list grumble at something as a normal collocation meaning to mutter discontent. Therefore, grumbled at not only fits the meaning but is also in the correct tense and form for the subject He in a past context.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Moan at is wrong because it is given in base form, and using it directly would break tense consistency in the sentence. Complain about is also wrong because the option is not in the correct past tense, and the exam expects a ready made phrase that can fit directly into the sentence. Ran after is wrong because it means to pursue physically or metaphorically, which does not match the idea of objecting to the low pay. Only grumbled at satisfies both the grammatical and semantic requirements of the question.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted to choose complain about because they know that complain about low pay is common, but they overlook the tense mismatch in the option. Others may not pay attention to collocations and incorrectly think that ran after the low pay simply means he tried to get more, which is not how the phrase is used. The safest approach is to check both meaning and form, and to remember common pairings such as grumble at, complain about, and moan about, then choose the one that matches the sentence structure exactly.
Final Answer:
The correct phrase to complete the sentence is grumbled at, giving He grumbled at the low pay.
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