WAEC 2020 English Language · Question 121

I accidentally stepped on my brother but he told Mummy I did it …

Question

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. I accidentally stepped on my brother but he told Mummy I did it ________

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

A.thoughtfully
B.intuitively
C.deliberately
D.annoyingly

Answer: C. deliberately

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

The sentence is: "I accidentally stepped on my brother but he told Mummy I did it ____."

The underlined word is accidentally, which means by chance, without intending to. We need the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning and also fits the gap grammatically and logically.

Explain the concept

This is an antonym question with a sentence-fit condition. First find the opposite of the underlined word. Then check that it makes sense in the sentence.

Accidentally = unintentionally, by chance
Opposite = intentionally, on purpose, deliberately

Solution: check each option

A. thoughtfully means with careful thought, or in a considerate way. It is not the opposite of "accidentally", and it doesn't suit the context of stepping on someone.
B. intuitively means by instinct or gut feeling. It is unrelated to intention.
C. deliberately means on purpose, with intention. This is the direct opposite of "accidentally", and it fits the story: the brother is falsely claiming the act was done on purpose.
D. annoyingly means in an irritating way. It describes how something affects someone, not whether it was intended.

Answer

The sentence becomes: "I accidentally stepped on my brother but he told Mummy I did it deliberately."

Tip: In antonym questions with a gap, first think of the simple opposite in your own words (here, "on purpose") and then look for the option that matches it. Related word pairs to remember: accidentally ↔ deliberately/intentionally, voluntarily ↔ involuntarily.

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