Question

Choose the option that replaces the phrase in quotes to complete the
idiomatic expression.
Her presence ‘casted a long shadow over’ the 2-day gathering of the
national delegates
A) Casted a long shadow over
B) Cast a long shadow over
C) Cast some shadow on
D) Cast some shadow of doubt on top

Answer 1

Hint: Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal language that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression. For example: Pull yourself together (meaning – calm down), It’s a piece of cake (meaning – it’s easy).

Complete step by step answer:
In this question we have to find the best idiomatic expressions out of the options given in the question, in such a way that it replaces the quoted phrase in the idiomatic expression.
Option A) Casted a long shadow over – is an incorrect answer because the idiom is referring to something in the past. So the past form of the verb ‘cast’ is cast only not casted. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Option B) Cast a long shadow over – is the correct answer because ‘Cast a long shadow over’ is the best idiomatic expression that can meaningfully replace the phrase in the quote. And the idiom is in the past and the past form of the verb ‘cast’ is ‘cast’ itself. And it means having considerable influence over someone or some event. So, this is the correct answer.
Option C) Cast some shadow on – is an incorrect answer because ‘cast some shadow on’ states that ‘to spoil a good situation with something unpleasant’ and the sentence is not unpleasant. Therefore, this is an incorrect answer.
Option D) Cast some shadow of doubt on top – is an incorrect answer because ‘cast some shadow of doubt on top’ is inappropriate, as there is no doubt of anything and to make a situation seem less hopeful and more likely to end badly. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.

So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note:
An idiom or idiomatic expression is an expression whose meaning is not easily understood based on its words alone for example: kick the bucket. So here, the verb ‘kick’ and noun ‘bucket’ do not individually
contribute to the intended meaning of the idiomatic expression. So, idiomatic expressions are strings of words whose interpretation cannot be derived solely from the composition of the individual words of the phrase.