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Question

Difficulty: EasyVerbs, Tenses, and Aspect

During the formal inquiry, the clerk stated that he _____ the financial registers to the regional headquarters the previous afternoon. Which option correctly completes the sentence?

  1. had dispatchedAnswer
  2. B
    has dispatched
  3. C
    dispatches
  4. D
    will dispatch

Answer

had dispatched
The verb form 'had dispatched' is correct because indirect speech introduced by a past-tense reporting verb ('stated') requires tense backshifting. Since the action of dispatching occurred prior to the statement being made (indicated by 'the previous afternoon'), the past perfect tense is syntactically mandatory.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and matrix clause tense.
The reporting verb 'stated' is in the simple past tense.
The tense of the main reporting verb determines the sequence of tenses in the subordinate reported clause.
2
Analyze the time relationship of the action in the subordinate clause.
The time marker 'the previous afternoon' indicates that dispatching the registers occurred prior to the reporting event.
An action completed before another past action requires tense backshifting into the past perfect tense.
3
Select the verb form that corresponds to the past perfect tense.
The auxiliary 'had' combined with the past participle 'dispatched' forms 'had dispatched'.
'Had dispatched' correctly conveys past-perfect aspect in reported speech.

Key Concept

Tense Backshift in Reported Speech
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Verbs, Tenses, and Aspect

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