The thug was … murder. — choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences

Step 1: Analyze the question The sentence is "The thug was ......... murder." We need the correct verb + preposition combination (a collocation).

Step 2: Explain the concept In English, certain verbs go with fixed prepositions:

• charged with a crime: the accusation made formally (e.g., charged with theft, charged with murder)
• convicted of a crime: found guilty (not "convicted for")
• accused of a crime
• sued for damages (a civil case, and not used for criminal offences like murder)

Step 3: Check each option

• A. convicted for: Wrong preposition. The correct form is "convicted of murder."
• B. charged with: Correct. "Charged with murder" is the standard expression.
• C. charged for: Wrong preposition. We say charged with a crime. ("Charged for" is used for fees, e.g., "charged for the service.")
• D. sued with: Incorrect. We "sue someone for" something, and murder is a criminal matter, not a civil suit.

Step 4: Answer The correct sentence is: The thug was charged with murder.

Exam tip: Memorize these pairs:

• charged with
• convicted of
• accused of
• sued for

If you see "convicted for" or "charged for" in the options, it is almost always a trap.