SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
The climbing team set out from base camp in early April. By the time its members finally reached the summit in late May, they ______ nearly seven weeks setting up camps and fixing ropes on the mountain's lower slopes.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
spend
had spent
will have spent
are spending
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The weeks on the lower slopes came before another past event, reaching the summit in late May. An action completed before a past moment takes the past perfect, "had spent."
Choice C uses the perfect form, but "will have spent" is future perfect, and the text describes the past.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. "Spend" is present tense, but the time on the slopes came before a past event.
- C. "Will have spent" is future perfect, which doesn't fit a story told in the past.
- D. "Are spending" is present progressive and can't describe time that ended before the climbers reached the summit.
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, or take a free full-length practice test.