Which word denotes a stage in a process?

• A. period
• B. phase
• C. percent
• D. perceive

Answer: (B)

A stage in a process is called a phase. Phase captures the idea of a distinct step within a larger sequence, where specific activities belong to that stage and progress to the next one. You’ll hear about the design phase, the testing phase, and the deployment phase, for example. In science, phases of matter (solid, liquid, gas) also illustrate how a process can be divided into named stages.

Period mainly means a length of time or a punctuation mark, not a particular stage in a sequence. Percent is a numerical ratio, a part of 100. Perceive is a verb meaning to become aware of something through observation or sensing.