The expenditure on the project _____ as follows: equipment Rs.20 lakhs, salaries Rs.12 lakhs, and contingency Rs.3 lakhs. A. break down B. break C. breaks down D. breaks

GATE 2019 · General Aptitude · Most Appropriate Word · medium

Answer: C. breaks down

1. Identify subject and required meaning: Subject = 'the expenditure' (singular). Meaning = to itemize/present in detail (which is 'break down' as a phrasal verb). The sentence is: 'The expenditure on the project _____ as follows: [list of items].'
2. Apply subject-verb agreement: Since subject is third-person singular, add -s to 'break': 'breaks'. The full phrasal verb is 'breaks down'. Option A: 'break down' — base form, wrong for singular subject. Option B: 'break' — base form and misses 'down', changing meaning. Option C: 'breaks down' — correct: singular + phrasal verb. Option D: 'breaks' — singular agreement but drops 'down', changing meaning to a simple break.