TOEIC Link Part 5: perquisite versus prerequisite

Perquisite and prerequisite open with the same per- syllables and both belong to the formal register of employment and policy, yet they sit on opposite sides of a job. Perquisite (noun) means an extra benefit or privilege that comes with a position; a perk. Prerequisite (noun) means something required beforehand as a condition for something else. One is a reward you receive; the other is a condition you must satisfy first. Part 5 leans on the shared opening to check whether you read the sentence for meaning rather than grabbing the more familiar-looking word. For the wider set of look-alike traps, start with the commonly confused word pairs master index.

The core rule: a benefit you get versus a condition you must meet

• perquisite (noun) = an incidental benefit or privilege attached to a job or position. A company car and a gym membership are among the perquisites of the role. / Senior managers enjoy several perquisites not offered to junior staff. It answers what benefit comes with this? and pairs with words like job, role, position, executive, benefit. It is often shortened in speech to perk.
• prerequisite (noun) = something that must exist or be done in advance as a condition. A bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for the training program. / Approval from finance is a prerequisite for signing the contract. It answers what must come first? and pairs with words like requirement, condition, before, qualify, eligible.

The two never overlap. Perquisite is something you gain by holding a position; prerequisite is something you must have or complete before you can proceed. A memory hook: prerequisite begins with pre-, meaning before — it is a requirement that comes before. Perquisite shares its root with perk — an extra that comes along with the job.

Why Part 5 likes this pair

The pair rewards attention to whether the sentence describes a benefit or a condition, and both nouns fit the workplace contexts Part 5 favors.

Free parking and subsidized meals are attractive __ of working at the head office.

The phrase attractive ... of working describes benefits that come with the job, so the answer is perquisites.

Completion of the safety course is a __ for operating the machinery.

The phrase for operating the machinery describes a condition that must be met first, so the answer is prerequisite.

Spotting the clue

Check whether the sentence names a benefit received or a condition demanded in advance:

• Is something described as a benefit, privilege, or perk that comes with a role? → choose perquisite (the perquisites of the position, executive perquisites).
• Is something described as required beforehand, a condition for eligibility? → choose prerequisite (a prerequisite for the course, a prerequisite to approval).

A quick test: if you can substitute perk or benefit, it is perquisite; if you can substitute requirement or precondition, it is prerequisite. Watch for the preposition — perquisite of (a benefit of something) versus prerequisite for/to (a condition for something) — since the preposition often signals which word the sentence needs. For more pairs where a shared look hides a meaning gap, see the business and finance confusable pairs study guide.

Quick self-check

1. Stock options are one of the more valuable __ offered to executives. (perquisites — benefits of the role)
2. Two years of relevant experience is a __ for the senior post. (prerequisite — a required condition)
3. Among the __ of the job is unlimited access to the corporate lounge. (perquisites — perks that come with it)

Takeaway

If the sentence names a benefit or privilege that comes with a position, you need perquisite. If it names a condition that must be satisfied in advance, you need prerequisite. Let the prefix guide you — pre- means before, so a prerequisite comes first — and let the preposition confirm it: perquisite of a job, prerequisite for an outcome. To see how this pair fits the wider set of Part 5 sound-alikes, return to the commonly confused word pairs master index.