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Difficulty: MediumConjunctions and Clause Structure

Which option correctly completes the sentence below?

"Scarcely had the chief executive officer presented the annual financial report ______ the board members raised critical objections regarding the budget allocation."

  1. whenAnswer
  2. B
    than
  3. C
    that
  4. D
    before

Answer

The option 'when' correctly completes the correlative structure 'scarcely... when'.
In standard English grammar, negative and restrictive adverbs such as 'scarcely', 'hardly', and 'barely' place the auxiliary verb before the subject when fronted, and must be followed by the subordinating conjunction 'when' to introduce the subsequent clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory negative/restrictive adverb and sentence structure
The sentence begins with the restrictive adverb 'Scarcely', followed by auxiliary inversion ('had the chief executive officer presented').
Recognizing the initial inverted clause determines the required correlative conjunction pattern.
2
Determine the appropriate correlative pair
'Scarcely' pairs obligatorily with 'when' (or 'before' in rare usage, though 'when' is standard in UTME assessment).
Correlative conjunctions for negative adverbials follow strict pairing rules: 'No sooner... than', 'Scarcely / Hardly / Barely... when'.
3
Evaluate options against grammar rules
The word 'when' fits the required correlative formula perfectly.
Using 'than' misapplies the rule for 'no sooner', while 'that' creates a structural error.

Key Concept

Correlative Conjunctions with Inverted Adverbial Clauses
Estimated Time:50s
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Topics

Conjunctions and Clause Structure

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