Choose the best verb form to complete each sentence.
1The signed contract was still on Maya's desk when an alert sounded, so she remembered ............... before leaving.
Wrong!
The contract was still on the desk, so the alert prompted a necessary action; remember takes the infinitive "to post it" for a task that is not forgotten.
2At the junction, we stopped ............... the map because we were unsure which path to take.
Wrong!
They interrupted their journey in order to consult the map, so stop is followed by the purpose infinitive "to check".
3The editor regrets ............... the article without checking the facts; several errors were published.
Wrong!
The article was sent before the later feeling of regret, so regret is followed by the gerund "sending".
4Accepting the promotion would mean ............... abroad for at least two years, so Nina declined.
Wrong!
Here mean describes what accepting the promotion would involve, so it takes the gerund "living".
5After outlining the problem, the presenter went on ............... how the new system would work.
Wrong!
The presenter finished one topic and then moved to a new one, so went on takes the infinitive "to explain".
6I'd rather you ............... the figures again before we publish the report.
Wrong!
When would rather is followed by a different subject, a past form such as "checked" expresses a present or future preference.
7The consultant denied ............... any confidential files from the company server.
Wrong!
Deny is followed by a gerund, and the perfect form "having copied" shows that the alleged copying happened earlier.
8After the fire alarm, visitors were made ............... outside until the building was checked.
Wrong!
In the passive, make is followed by a to-infinitive, so "to wait" is required after were made.
9Most visitors objected to ............... to show ID at the entrance.
Wrong!
In object to, to is a preposition and therefore takes a gerund; the passive form "being asked" shows that visitors received the request.
10The suspect is believed ............... the country before the police issued the warrant.
Wrong!
A passive reporting structure uses a to-infinitive, and "to have left" places the departure before the warrant was issued.
11This wall needs ............... before the new shelves can be installed.
Wrong!
After need, the gerund "painting" can have a passive meaning: the wall needs to be painted.
12Even after reading the evidence twice, I couldn't help ............... whether an important detail had been missed.
Wrong!
Cannot help is followed by a gerund, so "wondering" expresses a thought that was difficult to prevent.
Answers
- The signed contract was still on Maya’s desk when an alert sounded, so she remembered to post it before leaving.
- At the junction, we stopped to check the map because we were unsure which path to take.
- The editor regrets sending the article without checking the facts; several errors were published.
- Accepting the promotion would mean living abroad for at least two years, so Nina declined.
- After outlining the problem, the presenter went on to explain how the new system would work.
- I’d rather you checked the figures again before we publish the report.
- The consultant denied having copied any confidential files from the company server.
- After the fire alarm, visitors were made to wait outside until the building was checked.
- Most visitors objected to being asked to show ID at the entrance.
- The suspect is believed to have left the country before the police issued the warrant.
- This wall needs painting before the new shelves can be installed.
- Even after reading the evidence twice, I couldn’t help wondering whether an important detail had been missed.