Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
By the time the rescue team arrived, the hikers ______ for nearly two days.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. had been waiting
- 'are waiting' uses the present progressive tense, conflicting with the past event 'arrived'.
- 'have waited' uses the present perfect tense, which describes an action connecting past to the present rather than prior to a past reference point.
- 'wait' is simple present tense, creating a severe tense disagreement with 'arrived'.
- 'have waited' uses the present perfect tense, which describes an action connecting past to the present rather than prior to a past reference point.
- 'wait' is simple present tense, creating a severe tense disagreement with 'arrived'.
- Step 1: Establish the sequence of events: the rescue team arrived at a past moment, and the waiting had started earlier and continued up to that moment.
- Step 2: An ongoing past action continuing up to another past event requires the past perfect progressive tense (had been waiting).
Answer
had been waiting.
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