Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in

English Forums

Use our English forums to learn English. The message boards are great for English questions and English answers. The more you contribute, the more all members can practice English!

:  

Ask Ebaby! Teachers Go Super!

Gerund & Infinitive

Fatihurat

Fatihurat

Turkey

Over the past two decades, the Corsicans


their idyllic island, which was wrested by France


from the Genoese in 1768, into terrorism,


corruption and economic decline..


A) have seen / sink


B) had seen / sank


C) saw / to sink


D) would have seen / had sunk


E) would see / had been sinking

07:41 AM May 04 2016 |

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Teacher AmySuper Member!

United States

Hello,



“Over the past two decades, the Corsicans


their idyllic island, which was wrested by France


from the Genoese in 1768, into terrorism,


corruption and economic decline.


A) have seen / sink


B) had seen / sank


C) saw / to sink


D) would have seen / had sunk


E) would see / had been sinking”



I would answer: A) have seen/sink.



Here are some quick tips for reaching this answer:


- You can remove the adjective clause (“…which was wrested by France


from the Genoese in 1768…”) because this is a nonessential clause, or unnecessary to the rest of the grammar.


- The adverbial time phrase (Over the past two decades…) gives you a clue for why A is the strongest choice. This time phrase is specific and connected to now (during the two decades before and including now). The present perfect (have seen) and present (sink) connect to the same time.



I hope this helps!



Best,



Amy

09:49 PM May 05 2016 |