Children are susceptible ____ disease.

Question: Children are susceptible ____ disease.

<h3>Choices:</h3>

• 'to'

• 'of'

• 'by'

• 'with'

<h3>Explanation:</h3>

The correct preposition to fill in the blank is 'to'. Here’s the reasoning behind this choice:

In English, the adjective 'susceptible' is commonly followed by the preposition 'to'. This construction implies that someone is likely to be influenced or harmed by something. Specifically, when we say "susceptible to disease," it means that children have a higher likelihood of being affected by diseases. For further reference, you can consult authoritative sources such as Oxford Learners' Dictionaries and Wiktionary.

Let's break down the incorrect options to understand why they are not suitable:

• 'of': This preposition does not typically follow 'susceptible'. It could be used in other contexts, but not with the adjective in question.

• 'by': 'By' is generally used to indicate the agent performing an action, which does not apply here.

• 'with': 'With' might be used to indicate accompaniment or possession, but not susceptibility.

For educational purposes, understanding the proper use of prepositions in collocation with specific adjectives is crucial. It is part of mastering English grammatical structures which include adjective-preposition combinations. Literature on English grammar such as "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan is highly recommended for further study.