Choose the most suitable option to replace the underlined part of the sentence :
By the time we reached the station, the train left.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
had left (Option 1)
(Note on Answer Key: The provided script lists 'None', which is grammatically incorrect; had left is the correct standard English replacement.)
Explanation
To determine the correct tense, analyze the order of the two past events in the sentence:
Event A: The train departed.
Event B: We reached the station.
Tense Rule: When two actions happened in the past, the action that happened first must be written in the Past Perfect Tense (had + V3). The action that happened second is written in the Simple Past Tense (V2).
Application: Since the train departed before they reached the station, 'left' must change to 'had left'.
Key Points
Formula: By the time + Simple Past (V2), Past Perfect (had + V3).
Exam Shortcut: Whenever a sentence begins with 'By the time' followed by a simple past verb (reached), look directly for the 'had + V3' option to fill the other clause.S