JAMB 2018 English Language · Question 52

For fear of being caught, the thief shouted and cursed the slow bank manager in a language … much for words.

Question

choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s). For fear of being caught, the thief shouted and cursed the slow bank manager in a language ________much for words.

A.Way
B.Too
C.Very
D.So

Answer: B. Too

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

The sentence is: "For fear of being caught, the thief shouted and cursed the slow bank manager in a language ____ much for words."

The blank comes before "much for words," so we need a word that makes sense in the phrase "___ much for words."

Explain the concept

"Too much for (someone/something)" is a common English idiom meaning "beyond what can be handled or expressed." For example, "The pain was too much for him." Here, the language the thief used was "too much for words," meaning it was so extreme or vulgar that words cannot describe it.

Test each option

A. Way much for words: "Way" is informal and is not used before "much" like this. Incorrect.
B. Too much for words: The idiom "too much for words" works perfectly. The language was beyond description. Correct.
C. Very much for words: "Very much for words" is not idiomatic and does not make sense here. Incorrect.
D. So much for words: "So much for" is an idiom meaning "that's the end of," as in "So much for that plan." It doesn't fit the meaning here. Incorrect.

Answer

The correct option is B. Too.

Exam tip

When you see a gap before "much for," think of the idiom "too much for." Look for fixed phrases (idioms) in JAMB "best fill the gap" questions. "So much for" usually signals dismissal, while "too much for" signals something overwhelming or beyond capacity.

AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.