Chapter 1: Problem 5

Roberts already (finished, had finished) the experiments by the time Fuller made the discovery in his own laboratory.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The correct answer is 'had finished'. The sentence should be 'Roberts had finished the experiments by the time Fuller made the discovery in his own laboratory'.

Step by step solution

Understanding the Sentence Structure

First, read and understand the sentence. Note that 'Roberts' completed the experiments and 'Fuller' made the discovery - these are two discrete events.

Understanding the Time Frame

In this sentence, there is a specific time framing clause, 'by the time Fuller made the discovery in his own laboratory'. This clause indicates that one event (Roberts completing the experiments) happened before another event (Fuller's discovery). The keyword 'by the time' often indicates the need for past perfect tense to show the sequence of the events.

Choosing the Correct Tense

Given that the completion of experiments by Roberts happened before Fuller's discovery, the action needs to be in past perfect tense. So, the use of 'had finished' is the appropriate choice to indicate this sequence.

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Roberts already (finished, had finished) the experiments by the time Fuller made the discovery in his own laboratory.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding the Sentence Structure

Understanding the Time Frame

Choosing the Correct Tense

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