Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
A: May I help you?
B: Yes, I want three ______.
a) Cans beans
b) Cans of beans
c) Can of beans
d) Can beans

Answer 1

Hint: A noun is a content word that can be used to refer to a person, place, thing, quality, or action. A noun is the word class that can serve as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or in apposition.

Complete answer:
Let us analyze the options given to us in this question-
Option (a.), 'cans beans', refers to a phrase with no preposition between the two nouns.
Therefore, option (a.) is incorrect as if two nouns are used together, then the first noun is supposed to generally act like an adjective for the second noun, which is not happening here.
Option (b.), ‘cans of beans', refers to ‘of’.Therefore, option (b.) is correct as the usage of ‘of’ indicates the composition and substance (beans) of the cans.
Option (c.), ‘can of beans', refers to ‘can’ which is singular. Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as ‘three’ in the sentence indicates a plural noun.
Option (d.), ‘can beans', refers to ‘can’ which is singular and a phrase with no preposition between the two nouns. Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect.

Note:
 In this question, it will be helpful for the student to recall the concept of prepositions. A preposition is a function word that combines with a noun or pronoun or noun phrase to form a prepositional phrase that can have an adverbial or adjectival relation to some other word.