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Grammatical Structure

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Question 201Question →

Subject-verb agreement requires the verb to agree in number with its grammatical subject. Which verb form correctly completes the sentence below?

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Neither the principal nor the teachers present at the emergency meeting.
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Answer

The correct verb form to fill in the blank is 'were'.
When subjects are joined by correlative conjunctions such as 'neither... nor', the rule of proximity dictates that the verb must agree with the subject closest to it. Because the plural noun 'teachers' is immediately adjacent to the verb position, the plural past tense verb 'were' is grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the compound subjects joined by the correlative conjunction 'neither... nor'.
The subjects are 'the principal' (singular) and 'the teachers' (plural).
When subjects are joined by 'neither... nor', the principle of proximity applies.
2
Determine which subject is closest to the verb position.
'the teachers' is nearest to the blank.
Under the rule of proximity, the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.
3
Select the past tense verb form that matches the plural subject 'the teachers'.
'were'
'were' is the plural past tense verb form that correctly agrees with 'teachers'.

Key Concept

Proximity Concord with Correlative Conjunctions
Question 202Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the most appropriate verb form.

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Mr. Danjuma in Enugu since 2018, so he knows the city very well.
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Answer

has lived (or has been living)
The present perfect form ('has lived') or present perfect continuous form ('has been living') is required because the time preposition 'since' specifies an action that began in 2018 and continues to the present moment.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the time expression in the sentence.
The phrase 'since 2018' indicates an action or state that started at a specific point in the past and continues into the present.
Time expressions introduced by 'since' require a verb in the present perfect or present perfect continuous aspect.
2
Select the verb form that matches the temporal requirements.
The forms 'has lived' (present perfect) or 'has been living' (present perfect continuous) correctly express duration leading up to the present.
The singular subject 'Mr. Danjuma' requires the auxiliary verb 'has' paired with the past participle 'lived' or present participle 'living'.

Key Concept

Present Perfect Aspect with 'Since'
Estimated Time:45s
Question 203Question →

Formulating comprehensive economic policies, alongside managing public expenditure, ________ exceptional expertise from the ministry officials. Which option best completes the sentence?

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Answer: requires

Answer

requires
The subject of the sentence is the gerund phrase 'Formulating comprehensive economic policies', which takes a singular verb. The expression 'alongside managing public expenditure' is a prepositional modifier and does not make the subject compound or plural. Therefore, the singular verb 'requires' correctly completes the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main subject of the sentence
The subject head is the gerund phrase 'Formulating comprehensive economic policies'.
A gerund or gerund phrase functioning as a sentence subject is grammatically singular.
2
Analyze the quasi-conjunction parenthetical phrase
The phrase 'alongside managing public expenditure' is prepositional.
Expressions introduced by 'alongside', 'as well as', 'together with', or 'in addition to' do not compound the subject or alter its number.
3
Select the correct singular verb form
The third-person singular present verb form 'requires' is selected.
A singular subject requires a singular verb to maintain grammatical concord.

Key Concept

Gerund Subject Concord with Prepositional Parenthetical Modifiers
Question 204Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the most appropriate modal verb structure to express a formal past arrangement that was not fulfilled.

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The foreign minister the multilateral trade agreement at the summit yesterday, but the sudden collapse of coalition talks prevented her attendance.
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Answer

was to have signed
The expression 'was to have signed' uses the semi-modal 'be to' in the past tense combined with a perfect infinitive to denote a pre-arranged or expected official action in the past that ultimately failed to happen because of an intervening circumstance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the temporal context and communicative intent of the sentence.
The sentence describes an official arrangement set in the past ('yesterday') that was interrupted or thwarted by a subsequent event ('prevented her attendance').
Understanding whether an intended past event actually occurred determines the required modal aspect.
2
Select the modal auxiliary pattern designated for unfulfilled past obligations or formal arrangements.
The semi-modal structure 'was/were + to + have + past participle' ('was to have signed') explicitly conveys a past arrangement that did not take place.
Using the perfect infinitive ('to have signed') after 'was to' highlights the non-completion of the planned event.

Key Concept

Expressing Unfulfilled Past Plans using Semi-Modal Auxiliary Structures (was/were to have + past participle)
Question 205Question →

Complete the sentence by supplying the most appropriate subordinating conjunction.

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The committee decided to proceed with the proposed plan, several members raised strong objections during the deliberation.
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Answer

The sentence requires a subordinating conjunction of concession ('although', 'though', or 'even though') to connect the main independent clause with a contrasting subordinate clause.
The sentence presents a contrast between an action taken and an opposing circumstance. Conjunctions such as 'although', 'though', or 'even though' correctly subordinate the clause introduced by 'several members raised strong objections'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the relationship between the independent clause and the subordinate clause.
The main clause states that the committee proceeded with the plan, while the subordinate clause mentions opposition from members, showing a logical contrast or concession.
Choosing the correct conjunction requires identifying how the two clauses relate conceptually.
2
Select a subordinating conjunction that joins a full clause expressing contrast.
The conjunctions 'although', 'though', and 'even though' introduce an adverbial clause of concession containing both a subject ('several members') and a verb ('raised').
A subordinating conjunction of concession correctly establishes the contrast without creating grammatical errors or double connectors.

Key Concept

Subordinating Conjunctions of Concession
Question 206Question →

Complete the sentence below by entering the correct plural form of the compound noun in the blank provided.

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During the joint security summit, all the state delivered speeches on strengthening inter-agency intelligence coordination.
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Answer

inspectors-general of police
The correct response pluralizes the principal noun 'inspector' to form 'inspectors-general of police', adhering to standard English rules for compound titles modified by post-positional elements.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the principal noun (headword) within the hyphenated compound noun phrase.
The headword of the compound noun 'inspector-general of police' is 'inspector'.
In complex compound nouns comprising a principal noun followed by an adjective or prepositional modifier, pluralization attaches to the head noun rather than the post-modifying elements.
2
Apply the rule of pluralization to the identified head noun.
'inspector' becomes 'inspectors', yielding 'inspectors-general of police'.
'General' functions as a post-modifying adjective here, and 'of police' is a prepositional complement; neither takes the plural suffix.

Key Concept

Pluralization of Compound Nouns with Post-modifiers
Question 207Question →

Supply the appropriate verb form that maintains grammatical concord in the sentence below.

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A comprehensive series of lectures on environmental sustainability, alongside several practical workshops, scheduled to take place next month.
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Answer

The singular verb form 'is' (or 'has been') correctly completes the blank.
The main head noun of the sentence subject is the singular noun 'series'. Subordinate parenthetical additions introduced by quasi-conjunctions such as 'alongside', 'together with', or 'as well as' do not pluralize the head noun. Thus, the singular verb 'is' (or 'has been') maintains correct subject-verb concord.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary grammatical subject of the clause.
The grammatical subject is the noun phrase headed by the singular collective noun 'series' ('A comprehensive series of lectures').
Prepositional phrases like 'of lectures' and qualifying expressions introduced by 'alongside' do not change the grammatical number of the main head noun.
2
Apply subject-verb agreement rules to select the appropriate verb form.
The singular head noun 'series' requires a singular verb ('is' or 'has been') rather than a plural verb ('are' or 'have been').
Under standard rules of concord, intervening plural nouns such as 'workshops' or 'lectures' within modifier phrases must not cause false attraction.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Singular Head Nouns and Intervening Parenthetical Expressions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 208Question →

Complete the following sentence by providing the most grammatically appropriate verb tense and aspect form for the blank.

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Had the Senate panel been briefed on the security breach in advance, the chairman would rather the lead auditor the classified documents before the public session convened.
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Answer

had reviewed (or had examined / had scrutinized)
In English syntax, when the expression 'would rather' is followed by a clause containing a different subject and refers to a past event or preference, the past perfect tense ('had reviewed') must be used to express unreal past time.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the temporal frame and conditional structure of the sentence.
The initial inverted clause 'Had the Senate panel been briefed...' establishes a past unreality (third conditional context).
The sentence refers to a past situation that did not actually happen as envisioned.
2
Apply the grammatical rule for 'would rather' with differing subjects in a past temporal context.
When 'would rather' is followed by a subordinate clause with a different subject ('the lead auditor') to express a past unreal wish or preference, the verb must take the past perfect tense.
Simple past indicates present/future unreality, whereas past perfect ('had reviewed') is mandatory for past unreality.

Key Concept

Unreal Past and Aspectual Shift with 'Would Rather'
Question 209Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the correct verb form to complete the subjunctive construction.

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The regulatory agency insisted that the pharmaceutical manufacturer the distribution of the affected drug batch immediately.
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Answer

The correct verb form to fill the blank is the uninflected base verb 'halt' (or 'stop' / 'cease').
When a sentence features a reporting verb of requirement or command such as 'insist', 'demand', or 'recommend' followed by a 'that'-clause, the verb in the dependent clause must be in the mandative subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood uses the uninflected base form of the verb (such as 'halt', 'stop', or 'cease') irrespective of tense or subject number.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main clause verb and clause structure.
The main clause uses the verb 'insisted' followed by a 'that'-clause expressing a mandate or demand.
Verbs expressing demands, requests, recommendations, or mandates (e.g., insist, demand, propose, recommend) trigger the mandative subjunctive mood in the subordinate clause.
2
Determine the correct inflection for a verb in the mandative subjunctive mood.
The embedded verb must be in its bare base form (e.g., 'halt') without tense markers (-ed) or agreement suffixes (-s).
In formal English tested by JAMB UTME, the mandative subjunctive requires the base form of the verb regardless of the subject ('pharmaceutical manufacturer') or the past tense of the main verb ('insisted').

Key Concept

Mandative Subjunctive Mood
Question 210Question →

Complete the sentence below by providing the correct preposition to fill in the blank space.

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The newly appointed manager confessed that she was not yet fully conversant the financial regulations of the company.
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Answer

with
The adjective 'conversant' standardly requires the dependent preposition 'with' when referring to familiarity with facts, rules, or procedures.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the adjective requiring a dependent preposition in the sentence.
The key adjective is 'conversant'.
The adjective 'conversant' requires a specific preposition to express knowledge or familiarity regarding a topic.
2
Determine the correct standard preposition that collocates with 'conversant'.
The preposition 'with' completes the phrase.
In standard English grammar, the fixed collocation is 'conversant with', meaning well-informed about or familiar with something.

Key Concept

Prepositional Collocations after Adjectives
Estimated Time:45s
Question 211Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct preposition. Which preposition best completes the sentence?

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The updated remuneration package offered to the newly appointed directors is hardly commensurate the demanding responsibilities expected of them.
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Answer

The preposition required to complete the sentence is 'with'.
The adjective 'commensurate' standardly requires the dependent preposition 'with' when indicating that one item is proportionate or equal in measure to another.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key adjective in the sentence requiring a specific dependent preposition.
The adjective 'commensurate' is used to express equivalence, balance, or proportionality.
In standard English grammar, specific adjectives govern particular prepositions to form accepted collocations.
2
Determine the standard dependent preposition paired with 'commensurate'.
'commensurate' collocates strictly with 'with'.
Saying something is 'commensurate with' means it corresponds in size, extent, or degree to another thing.

Key Concept

Dependent Prepositions with Adjectives
Question 212Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the appropriate modal verb phrase that expresses past advisability or unfulfilled duty.

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Although the preliminary findings were well received by the panel, the research team verified the baseline measurements before publishing the report.
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Answer

The correct completion is 'should have' or 'ought to have'.
The verb phrases 'should have' and 'ought to have' indicate past advisability or a duty that was not carried out. In this context, verifying the measurements was sensible and recommended, but the team failed to do so prior to publication.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context and temporal frame.
The sentence refers to a past situation where an advisable action (verifying baseline measurements) was omitted before publishing.
The contrasting conjunction 'Although' highlights a failure to execute a necessary past step despite positive reception.
2
Select the modal auxiliary structure that conveys past unfulfilled duty or recommendation.
The modal structure 'should / ought to + have + past participle' accurately expresses an action that was desirable in the past but was not performed.
Perfect modal constructions ('have + past participle') are required when evaluating completed past actions.

Key Concept

Modal Auxiliaries for Past Advisability and Unfulfilled Duty
Question 213Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank space with the correct modal auxiliary phrase that expresses a past preference or unfulfilled choice.

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The managing director revealed during the press briefing that he the emergency restructuring plan approved by the board last month instead of waiting for the financial crisis to escalate.
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Answer

would rather have had (or would rather have)
The modal phrase 'would rather have had' (or 'would rather have') correctly conveys an unfulfilled preference concerning a past period ('last month'). When 'would rather' is followed by 'have' and a past participle, it signifies that the speaker preferred a different past course of action than the one that actually took place.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context and temporal aspect
The action refers to a preference regarding a past event ('last month') that did not occur as preferred ('instead of waiting for the financial crisis to escalate').
Identifying the time frame and modality required for an unfulfilled past preference.
2
Apply the appropriate modal auxiliary structure for past preference
The structure 'would rather have + past participle' (or 'would rather have had' when referring to possessing/obtaining approval) correctly expresses a preference about the past that was not realized.
Differentiating present/future preference ('would rather + bare infinitive') from past unfulfilled preference ('would rather have + past participle').

Key Concept

Modal Expressions of Past Preference and Unfulfilled Intentions
Question 214Question →

What preposition best completes the blank space in the following sentence?

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The prosecuting counsel argued that the defendant's deliberate suppression of vital evidence was tantamount an explicit attempt to obstruct the course of justice.
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Answer

to
The adjective 'tantamount' standardly collocates with the dependent preposition 'to' when indicating that one action or situation is equivalent in force, significance, or value to another.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target adjective requiring a fixed prepositional complement in the sentence.
The target adjective is 'tantamount'.
In formal English, specific adjectives require fixed dependent prepositions to complete their meaning.
2
Determine the correct dependent preposition that collocates with 'tantamount'.
The adjective 'tantamount' exclusively takes the preposition 'to'.
When signifying that something is equivalent in effect, seriousness, or value to something else, 'tantamount' must be followed by 'to'.

Key Concept

Dependent Prepositions following Adjectives
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 215Question →

Complete the sentence below by writing the correct plural form of the compound noun in the blank.

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The managing director held a quarterly review meeting with the of all the media subsidiaries.
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Answer

editors-in-chief
The compound noun 'editor-in-chief' comprises the head noun 'editor' modified by the prepositional phrase 'in chief'. In standard formal English, pluralization is marked on the head noun, resulting in 'editors-in-chief'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary head noun in the compound structure 'editor-in-chief'.
The word 'editor' functions as the principal noun, while 'in-chief' is a modifying prepositional phrase.
In hyphenated compound nouns containing prepositional phrases, plural inflection must be applied to the primary head noun.
2
Apply the plural suffix '-s' to the primary head noun.
'editor' becomes 'editors', yielding the correct plural form 'editors-in-chief'.
Attaching the plural inflection to the tail element 'chief' or pluralizing both elements violates standard grammatical rules for compound noun formation.

Key Concept

Pluralization of Compound Nouns
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 216Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct tense form of the verb provided in brackets.

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It is high time the legislative council (amend) the obsolete municipal laws governing public sanitation.
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Answer

amended
When the idiomatic structure 'It is high time' is followed directly by a subject noun phrase ('the legislative council'), standard formal English requires the verb to be in the simple past tense (unreal past). Therefore, the correct form of 'amend' is 'amended'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the introductory syntactic construction of the sentence.
The sentence begins with the fixed expression 'It is high time' followed by a explicit subject ('the legislative council').
In standard English grammar, the construction 'It is time / It is high time / It is about time' followed by a subject noun phrase requires an unreal past (subjunctive equivalent) verb form to convey present or future urgency for an action that is overdue.
2
Infect/conjugate the base verb 'amend' to match the unreal past requirement.
The base verb 'amend' is inflected into its simple past tense form, 'amended'.
Even though the reference is to a present or immediate future necessity, the past tense form 'amended' must be used after 'It is high time + subject'.

Key Concept

Unreal Past Tense after 'It is high time'
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 217Question →

Read the sentence below:
'All candidates _______ present a valid identification slip before entering the examination hall.'

Which modal auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to express mandatory obligation?

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Answer: must

Answer

The modal verb 'must' correctly completes the sentence to express compulsory obligation.
The verb 'must' expresses compulsory obligation and correctly pairs with the bare infinitive verb 'present'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the intended communicative function of the sentence.
The context requires expressing an official, mandatory rule for examination candidates.
Mandatory conditions and official regulations require a modal verb of strong obligation.
2
Evaluate the grammatical structure required for modal verbs.
'Must' is a modal auxiliary verb expressing obligation that takes a bare infinitive ('present').
Primary modal auxiliaries in Standard English are followed by the base verb without 'to' and cannot take inflectional endings or combine with other modals.

Key Concept

Modal Auxiliaries and Expressing Modality
Question 218Question →

Read the following sentence: 'It is high time the municipal council _____ effective measures to curb illegal waste disposal.' Which of the options below correctly completes the sentence?

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Answer: implemented

Answer

implemented
In standard English usage, the expression 'it is high time' followed by a subject requires a simple past verb form ('implemented') to express an action that ought to have been taken already.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory idiom and clause structure.
The sentence begins with 'It is high time' followed by the explicit subject 'the municipal council'.
Fixed structures beginning with 'It is time' or 'It is high time' follow specific subjunctive/unreal past tense rules in English grammar.
2
Apply the tense rule for unreal past expressions.
When 'it is high time' is followed by a subject, the governing verb must be in the simple past tense.
This construction implies that an action is overdue and needs to happen immediately.
3
Select the correct simple past verb form from the choices.
'implemented' is the simple past tense form of the verb.
It fulfills the structural requirement of the unreal past pattern.

Key Concept

Unreal Past Subjunctive with 'It is high time'
Question 219Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct preposition that completes the standard grammatical collocation.

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The legal counsel argued that the newly introduced clause in the agreement was not consonant the statutory provisions of the constitution.
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Answer

with
The adjective 'consonant' strictly pairs with the preposition 'with' to express full agreement, consistency, or harmony with established rules or standards.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the head adjective requiring a dependent preposition in the sentence context.
The adjective in focus is 'consonant'.
In formal English, specific adjectives require fixed dependent prepositions to convey precise relational meanings.
2
Determine the standard prepositional collocation for 'consonant'.
The correct dependent preposition is 'with'.
'Consonant with' is a fixed grammatical collocation meaning in agreement, accord, or harmony with a rule, law, or principle.

Key Concept

Adjective-Preposition Collocations
Question 220Question →

Read the statement below and answer the question that follows:

'The senior archivist verified that the original manuscripts were preserved in airtight vaults; therefore, the research team _______ the rare documents intact upon their arrival.'

Which of the following options correctly completes the sentence to express a logical past expectation while obeying Standard English modal verb structure?

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Answer: should have found

Answer

The correct option is 'should have found' because it properly expresses a past logical expectation using the modal verb 'should' followed by the bare perfect infinitive 'have found'.
The correct phrase uses the modal auxiliary 'should' paired with the perfect infinitive 'have found'. This structure accurately conveys a logical expectation regarding a past outcome while strictly adhering to English grammatical rules regarding modal complemented verb phrases.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual meaning of the sentence.
The context provides premise evidence ('original manuscripts were preserved in airtight vaults') leading to a reasonable deduction or expectation about a past result.
Modal auxiliaries express speaker attitude, obligation, possibility, or logical deduction based on available facts.
2
Evaluate the structural requirements for expressing past expectation.
A past expectation requires a modal auxiliary followed by a bare perfect infinitive ('modal + have + past participle').
Pure modal verbs (such as 'should', 'must', 'might') take bare infinitives without 'to'.
3
Eliminate grammatically invalid modal constructions.
Discard combinations with double modals ('might can'), modal + to-infinitive ('must to'), or corrupted semi-modals ('ought had').
Standard English syntax forbids stacking multiple modal auxiliaries or using non-bare infinitives directly after pure modals.

Key Concept

Modal Auxiliaries and Expressing Past Modality
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