Business Nouns — Fill in the Gap, Set 3 (B2)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

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Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

Your monthly travel will be credited to your account on the first of each month. (ALLOW)

Correct answer: allowance

Add -ance to "allow" to form "allowance" — a regular sum provided for a specific purpose; "allow" is a verb and cannot follow "travel" as a compound noun modifier in this position.

Please contact the hotel directly to make a before your business trip to Seoul. (RESERVE)

Correct answer: reservation

Add -ation to "reserve" to form "reservation" — the noun for a booking made in advance; "reserve" as a noun means a stockpile or a protected area, not an advance booking in the hospitality context.

The new regional team was appointed to oversee operations across the five Asian offices. (MANAGE)

Correct answer: management

Add -ment to "manage" to form "management" — the noun for the act of directing an organisation; "manage" is a verb and cannot follow "regional" as a compound noun modifier here.

She missed her at Frankfurt Airport because the inbound flight arrived forty minutes late. (CONNECT)

Correct answer: connection

Add -ion to "connect" to form "connection" — the noun for a transport link between two routes or flights; "connect" is a verb and cannot follow "her" as a noun object here.

The company placed a full-page in the trade journal to announce the launch of its new range. (ADVERTISE)

Correct answer: advertisement

Add -ment to "advertise" to form "advertisement" — the noun for a paid promotional message; "advertise" is a verb and cannot follow "full-page" in a noun slot; note the British spelling retains the "e" before -ment.

Contract between the two firms lasted over three weeks before a final agreement was reached. (NEGOTIATE)

Correct answer: negotiation

Add -ion to "negotiate" to form "negotiation" — the noun for formal discussion aimed at reaching a deal; "negotiate" is a verb and cannot serve as the subject of "lasted" in this noun position.

The marketing team used customer data to refine its strategy for the upcoming product launch. (SEGMENT)

Correct answer: segmentation

Add -ation to "segment" to form "segmentation" — the noun for the process of dividing a market into groups; "segment" as a noun means a single portion, not the process — only "segmentation" fits the "___ strategy" compound.

The company has a zero-tolerance policy against any form of workplace . (HARASS)

Correct answer: harassment

Add -ment to "harass" to form "harassment" — the noun for persistent unwanted behaviour; note "harass" is spelled with one "r" and two "s" — the noun simply adds -ment with no spelling change.

The travel itinerary listed Singapore as the team's final for the Asia-Pacific leg of the tour. (DESTINE)

Correct answer: destination

"Destine" → "destination" — the -ation suffix forms the noun for the place one is travelling to; learners sometimes write "destiny" (meaning fate), but "destiny" is not a travel location — only "destination" is correct in a transport context.

The firm faces growing from lower-cost manufacturers entering the domestic market. (COMPETE)

Correct answer: competition

Add -ition to "compete" to form "competition" — the uncountable noun for market rivalry; learners sometimes write "competing" (a participle/adjective) — only "competition" fits as a noun after "growing."

Any employee who has a about their working conditions should contact the HR department immediately. (GRIEVE)

Correct answer: grievance

"Grieve" → "grievance" — the -ance suffix forms the noun for a formal workplace complaint; learners must distinguish "grievance" (a legal/HR complaint) from "grief" (personal sorrow) — both derive from the same Latin root but carry different meanings in modern English.

She received a generous package when her position was eliminated during the company restructuring. (SEVER)

Correct answer: severance

Add -ance to "sever" to form "severance" — the HR noun for compensation paid on termination of employment; "sever" alone means to cut or separate; learners sometimes write "severation" (non-standard) — "severance" is the only correct form.

The conference organisers included a day to the local vineyard as part of the three-day programme. (EXCURSION)

Correct answer: excursion

"Excursion" is a standalone noun meaning a short organised trip made as part of a larger event; it comes from Latin "excurrere" (to run out) but has no simple modern English verb to derive from; learners should memorise it as a fixed TOEIC travel and events term.

The software firm must maintain a edge in order to hold its market position against global rivals. (COMPETE)

Correct answer: competitive

Add -itive to "compete" to form "competitive" — the adjective meaning having the ability to compete successfully; learners often write "competition" (a noun), but the phrase "a ___ edge" requires an adjective, not a noun.

The marketing team conducted a detailed analysis of each operating in the domestic electronics market. (COMPETE)

Correct answer: competitor

Add -itor to "compete" to form "competitor" — the agent noun meaning a rival company or individual; learners sometimes write "competition" (uncountable, incompatible with "each ___") or "competitive" (an adjective) — "competitor" is the only countable agent noun from this family.

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