In the sentence 'The committee adjourned the meeting', what does ADJOURNED mean?
ASuspendedCORRECT
BStarted
CArgued in
DRecorded
AI
Toasta AI Explanation
Why the answer is A, and why the others tempt you.
**The reasoning**
"Adjourn" means to **temporarily stop or suspend** a meeting with the intention of resuming it later. Think of it like pressing "pause" on a video — the meeting isn't cancelled or ended forever, it's just halted for now. When a committee adjourns a meeting, they're saying "Let's stop here and continue another time." So the correct answer is **A) Suspended** because both words mean a temporary halt.
**Why the wrong options tempt you**
**B) Started** — This is the opposite! Some students might confuse "adjourned" with "convened" (which means to start/gather).
**C) Argued in** — The formal sound of "adjourned" might make you think it relates to debate, but it's about stopping, not discussing.
**D) Recorded** — Another formal-sounding word, but recording is about documenting, not pausing.
**Quick takeaway**
Remember: **"Adjourn = A-journey away from the meeting"** — you're temporarily leaving, not ending permanently. When you see "adjourn," think "pause button," not "stop button."
Want this in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa? Sign up free →
Practice more Reading questions
IELTS Reading has thousands more questions like this — with AI explanations on every one.