The threat of taking ______ action, if unofficial suggestions are not acceptable to the offenders involved, largely removes any element of voluntarism and is coercive.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is "official" because the sentence contrasts "unofficial suggestions" with the threat of a more formal or authoritative type of action, which would be "official" action. This implies that if the informal or unofficial suggestions are not heeded, a more formal, possibly legal or institutional response will follow, which is inherently coercive.

The Threat of Taking ______ Action, If Unofficial Suggestions Are