When the librarian arrived at the fiction section, a diligent student _________ the entire cart of returned novels, which were now neatly organized on the shelves.
3
writingWhich choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
has already shelved
B
will already shelve
C
had already shelved
D
already shelves
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. The sentence describes two past actions. The shelving occurred before the librarian arrived. The past perfect tense "had already shelved" indicates the action was completed prior to the past moment described.