What did the boss accuse the cousin of?

Study for the First Certificate in English (FCE) Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each offering hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

What did the boss accuse the cousin of?

Explanation:
The sentence hinges on the structure that follows “accused of.” After this phrase, it’s natural to use a perfect gerund to show the action was already completed when the accusation was made. The natural, precise choice is “having copied another famous advertising campaign,” so the full idea reads: The boss accused the cousin of having copied another famous advertising campaign. This form clearly marks that the copying happened before the accusation and keeps the tone formal and neutral. The other options are less fitting because they either shift the nuance or the object. “Copying another famous advertising campaign” could work, but it doesn’t emphasize the completed action before the accusation as clearly. “Copying a slogan from another campaign” changes what was copied and can alter meaning. “Stealing another campaign” uses a stronger word and a more dramatic tone, which doesn’t fit the intended, neutral accusation.

The sentence hinges on the structure that follows “accused of.” After this phrase, it’s natural to use a perfect gerund to show the action was already completed when the accusation was made. The natural, precise choice is “having copied another famous advertising campaign,” so the full idea reads: The boss accused the cousin of having copied another famous advertising campaign. This form clearly marks that the copying happened before the accusation and keeps the tone formal and neutral.

The other options are less fitting because they either shift the nuance or the object. “Copying another famous advertising campaign” could work, but it doesn’t emphasize the completed action before the accusation as clearly. “Copying a slogan from another campaign” changes what was copied and can alter meaning. “Stealing another campaign” uses a stronger word and a more dramatic tone, which doesn’t fit the intended, neutral accusation.

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