Lesson: English Grammar - 15t05

Verbs: Try it Yourself

Task: the following sentences and click on the verb in the parentheses that best completes the sentence.

1. Carrie will go to college if she (will find, finds, has found) enough money to cover tuition.

will find

finds

has found

2. Rocio had been living in Bogota for ten years when she (had decided, decided, will have decided) to leave.

had decided

decided

will have decided

3. Return your books on time in order (to avoid, that you avoid, to have avoided) a late penalty.

to avoid

that you avoid

to have avoided

The infinitive "to avoid" perfectly completes the sentence, because it follows most eloquently from "in order." The imperative or command at the beginning of this sentence ("Return") does not determine the next verb tense; rather it's the preposition "in order" which indicates what must follow. One last time: determine the appropriate tense by the meaning of the sentence and by what "sounds" right, not just by the other verb tenses in the sentence.

Technically, the choice "that you avoid" is grammatically correct, but it would not be the correct answer over "to avoid." Remember that your exam tests grammatical correctness and effectiveness; while you can make an argument for "that you avoid," it's not as eloquent or clear as "to avoid," so it wouldn't be the correct answer.

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