Set 10: Boundaries
Explanation
PASSAGE
The athletes who _______ the most during training performed best in the competition.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question tests your understanding of sentence boundaries and punctuation. The main verb 'performed' is past tense. The relative clause 'who worked' should also be past tense. 'Athletes' is plural, but 'worked' is correct for all persons. To determine the correct answer, examine where complete thoughts begin and end. Look for independent clauses that need proper separation. A period, semicolon, or appropriate conjunction can correctly join or separate these ideas. When analyzing sentence boundaries, pay attention to how ideas flow from one sentence to the next. Correct punctuation ensures clarity and prevents confusion for readers. Review the options carefully to identify which choice creates proper sentence structure.
Key Evidence:
• "performed (past)"
• "who worked (past to match)"
Why others are wrong: D ('Working' is participle; needs main verb.), B ('Work' is present tense; 'performed' is past—tense mismatch.), A ('Works' is present tense singular—wrong tense and number for 'athletes.').
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