SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
Ancient Egyptians wrote many of their records on papyrus, a paper-like material that they ______ from the stems of a reed that grew along the Nile River.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
make
B
will make
C
are making
D
made
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
The text describes ancient practices and uses the past tense ("wrote," "grew"). The simple past "made" keeps the tense consistent.
Choice A uses the present tense, which doesn't match the other past-tense verbs describing ancient Egypt.
Got it wrong? On SAT Owl, Owl looks at the answer you chose and explains the exact mistake, then gives you similar questions until it sticks. Get your predicted SAT score free.