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Question

Difficulty: HardVerbs, Tenses, and Aspect

Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence below?

'During the parliamentary inquiry, the minister addressed the contract allocation as though he _______ the internal audit findings beforehand.'

  1. had examinedAnswer
  2. B
    examined
  3. C
    has examined
  4. D
    would examine

Answer

The correct verb form is 'had examined'.
The sentence requires a verb form that expresses a hypothetical action occurring prior to another action in the past ('addressed'). In English grammar, when 'as though' or 'as if' follows a past-tense main verb to denote an unfulfilled or contrary-to-fact situation, the past perfect subjunctive ('had examined') must be used.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main verb and time frame of the sentence.
The primary verb 'addressed' is in the simple past tense, establishing a past narrative context.
Verb choice in subordinate clauses must conform to the sequence of tenses set by the main clause.
2
Identify the syntactic requirement of the conjunction 'as though'.
'As though' introduces a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact clause.
When referring to a time prior to a past main verb in a hypothetical construction, the past perfect subjunctive is required.
3
Select the verb form that satisfies both past temporal priority and subjunctive aspect.
'Had examined' correctly expresses past perfect aspect in the subjunctive mood.
Other options either break sequence of tenses or fail to express the necessary aspectual completion before the main past event.

Key Concept

Unreal Past and Past Perfect Subjunctive with 'As Though' / 'As If'
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Topics

Verbs, Tenses, and Aspect

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