Choose the option that maintains correct formal inversion:
Seldom _____ such remarkable resilience as displayed by the flood relief volunteers in Pahang.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. have we witnessed
- Step 1: In formal English, placing a restrictive frequency adverb like 'seldom' at the head of a clause triggers subject-auxiliary inversion.
- Step 2: Place the auxiliary verb 'have' before the subject 'we', followed by the past participle 'witnessed': 'Seldom have we witnessed...'.
Answer
have we witnessed.
Why not the others: 'we have witnessed' maintains standard non-inverted word order which is ungrammatical following an initial restrictive adverb; 'we witnessed' lacks inversion; 'had we witness' incorrectly uses the base verb form 'witness' after 'had' instead of the past participle.
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