WAEC 2018 English Language · Question 55

In the following sentence, there is an underlined word and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D…

Question

In the following sentence, there is an underlined word and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence. A few days after Musa's _______, his sister longed for his departure.

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.coming
B.entrance
C.arrival
D.welcome

Answer: C. arrival

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

This is an antonym-and-fill-the-gap question. The sentence is: "A few days after Musa's ___, his sister longed for his departure."

The underlined word is departure. We need a word that:

Is opposite in meaning to departure (leaving), and
Fits grammatically and logically in the gap after "Musa's".

Explain the concept

The opposite of departure (going away) is arrival (coming to a place). Be careful with the others: several options look similar in meaning, but only one is the best fit.

Step-by-step solution

A. coming: This is close in meaning, but "Musa's coming" is less standard as a noun here. It sounds incomplete or archaic. It is not the best opposite of the formal noun departure.
B. entrance: This refers to a door or the act of entering a room or place. It does not suit a visit lasting days.
C. arrival: This is the direct noun opposite of departure. It works perfectly: "A few days after Musa's arrival, his sister longed for his departure."
D. welcome: This is not the opposite of departure, and it does not suit the sentence logically.

Answer

The best option is C. arrival. Both the meaning and the grammar are correct.

Tip

Antonym pairs of this type are often noun-to-noun: arrival ↔ departure. Match the part of speech and check that the word fits the context, since "coming" and "entrance" can tempt you but are weaker fits.

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