Verbal Ability/Word-usage Practice

Verbal Ability/Word-usage 21 / 50

Choose the option in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate: way

A. By the way, have you finalized the agenda for the upcoming quarterly review meeting?
B. The new infrastructure project is now under way, promising significant economic growth for the region.
C. To address the budget deficit, the committee proposed cutting expenses by the way of reducing discretionary spending.
D. Despite the numerous obstacles, the determined team found a way to successfully complete the complex assignment.

The incorrect or inappropriate usage of the word "way" is in the third option: "To address the budget deficit, the committee proposed cutting expenses by the way of reducing discretionary spending."
Why it's wrong:
The standard idiomatic expression is "by way of", meaning 'via', 'through', or 'as a method of'. The inclusion of the article "the" after "by" and before "way of" is grammatically incorrect in this fixed phrase.
Correct usage: "To address the budget deficit, the committee proposed cutting expenses by way of reducing discretionary spending."

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