In the sentence ‘A great many of the soldiers who lined the highway [ ] rifles,’ the correct verb form to complete the sentence is ‘were carrying.’ This is because the sentence refers to an ongoing action in the past that was happening at the same time as another event (the soldiers lining the highway). Let’s break down the options to understand why this choice is correct.
1. Analyzing the Sentence Structure
The phrase ‘who lined the highway’ describes the soldiers and is in the past tense, suggesting that the soldiers lined the highway at some point in the past. The verb that follows must match the time frame and context of this action. The correct option should describe an ongoing activity that also occurred during that time period.
2. Why ‘Were Carrying’ is the Correct Answer
The correct verb choice is ‘were carrying’ (Option A), which uses the past continuous tense. The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were happening at the same time in the past. In this case, the soldiers were both lining the highway and carrying rifles at that time. The use of ‘were carrying’ indicates that the action of carrying rifles was ongoing during the time when they were lined up on the highway.
3. Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- Option B (‘carry’): This is in the present tense, which does not match the past tense context of the sentence.
- Option C (‘are carrying’): This is in the present continuous tense, which again does not fit the past context of the sentence.
- Option D (‘carried’): While this is in the past tense, it is simple past tense, which would not convey the idea of an ongoing action happening at the same time as lining the highway. It would imply that the action of carrying rifles happened once in the past rather than continuously.
4. Understanding the Role of Tenses in Describing Simultaneous Actions
In sentences where two actions are happening simultaneously in the past, the past continuous tense is the appropriate choice. It helps to convey the idea that one action was ongoing while another action was also taking place. In this case, the soldiers’ action of carrying rifles was happening concurrently with their action of lining the highway.
Conclusion
To summarize, the correct verb choice in the sentence ‘A great many of the soldiers who lined the highway [ ] rifles’ is ‘were carrying.’ This reflects an ongoing action in the past, describing what the soldiers were doing at the same time they were lining the highway. Understanding how to match tenses appropriately in sentences like this is crucial for accurate communication.
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