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Question

Difficulty: EasyVerbs, Tenses, and Aspect

Read the sentence below:

'If the security guard ________ the main entrance before leaving, the intruders would not have entered the facility.'

Which of the following options correctly completes the sentence?

  1. had lockedAnswer
  2. B
    locked
  3. C
    has locked
  4. D
    would lock

Answer

The correct option is 'had locked'.
The sentence uses a third conditional structure to describe an imaginary past situation and its result. Because the result clause contains 'would not have entered' (would have + past participle), the dependent 'if' clause requires the past perfect tense ('had locked').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conditional sentence structure.
The main clause contains 'would not have entered', which indicates a third conditional construction.
Third conditional sentences express hypothetical outcomes about past events that did not happen.
2
Determine the required verb tense for the conditional clause.
The 'if' clause requires the past perfect tense (had + past participle).
The standard rule for third conditional sentences is: If + past perfect, would/could/might + have + past participle.
3
Select the past perfect verb form.
'had locked' is the correct past perfect form of the verb.
It correctly completes the hypothetical past condition.

Key Concept

Third Conditional (Past Unreal Condition)
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Verbs, Tenses, and Aspect

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