The soldiers pledge their … loyalty to the new government

1. Analyze the question The sentence is: "The soldiers pledge their ____ loyalty to the new government." We need an adjective that collocates naturally with "loyalty" and fits a pledge of allegiance.

2. Explain the concept This tests collocation, which means knowing which words naturally go together. When people pledge loyalty, the usual phrases are "pledge complete/total/undivided/absolute loyalty." The adjective should describe the extent of the loyalty, and it should make sense in the context of a pledge.

3. Step-by-step solution

• A. enduring: "Enduring loyalty" means loyalty that lasts. It is a valid phrase, but it describes loyalty that has lasted over time and sounds less natural in a pledge to a new government. A new government has no history to endure.
• B. tireless: We say "tireless efforts" or "tireless work." Loyalty is not usually described as tireless.
• C. complete: "Complete loyalty" is a very common phrase and fits a pledge. Soldiers promising total, full allegiance makes perfect sense.
• D. questionable: This means doubtful, which contradicts the idea of pledging loyalty.

4. Answer The best choice is C. complete... loyalty."

5. Exam tip For fill-in-the-blank questions, first eliminate words that contradict the meaning (like "questionable"). Then test the remaining words against common collocations. Ask yourself, "Which phrase have I actually heard or read before?" Phrases like "pledge complete loyalty" and "pledge allegiance" are ones to remember.