Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice (1) repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice (1). If not, select one of the other choices.

The criminals fled before the police reached the spot of crime.

  1. The criminals fled before the police reached the spot of crime.

  2. The criminals fled when the police reached the spot of crime.

  3. The criminals fled when the police had reached the spot of crime.

  4. The criminals had fled before the police reached the spot of crime.

  5. The criminals had fled before the police had reached the spot of crime.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

When there are two actions of past tense in sequence, the action that took place earlier should be in past perfect tense. This option rectifies the error of tense by using past perfect tense (had reached).

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