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Question

Difficulty: MediumVerbs, Tenses, and Aspect

Consider the sentence below:

'By the time the commission published its final report last week, the panel ________ the submitted evidence for nearly a year.'

Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

  1. had been evaluatingAnswer
  2. B
    has been evaluating
  3. C
    was evaluating
  4. D
    would evaluate

Answer

The past perfect continuous form 'had been evaluating' correctly completes the sentence.
The past perfect continuous form ('had been evaluating') accurately conveys that the activity of evaluating evidence was ongoing over a duration ('for nearly a year') before another past event took place ('published').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the temporal framework of the main clause and subordinate time clause.
The clause 'By the time the commission published...' sets a clear reference point in the past ('published').
Verb choices must align with sequence of tenses relative to past reference points.
2
Examine the duration marker in the blanked clause.
The phrase 'for nearly a year' indicates continuous activity over a defined timeframe preceding the past event.
Actions extending up to a specific past point demand the past perfect continuous aspect.
3
Select the verb structure that expresses past continuous action prior to a past milestone.
'had been evaluating' fits both past time reference and continuous aspectual requirement.
Only 'had + been + present participle' satisfies past perfect continuous requirements.

Key Concept

Past Perfect Continuous Tense and Temporal Sequence
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Verbs, Tenses, and Aspect

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