Question 20

Drove more than 400 miles to reach their destination.

Using the simple past tense "drove" correctly conveys the action completed in the past, indicating that the journey occurred after the sleeping bags were thrown into the car.

A) Driving

The option "driving" is in the present participle form, which does not fit the context of the sentence requiring a completed action in the past. It would suggest an ongoing action rather than one that has already occurred.

B) Having driven

"Having driven" is a perfect participle form that implies a completed action before another event. However, it does not fit smoothly into the sentence structure, making it awkward and less direct than the simple past "drove."

C) Drove

This option correctly uses the simple past tense to indicate that the action of driving occurred in the past, directly following the action of throwing the sleeping bags into the car. It provides a clear and concise narrative of the events.

D) Had driven

The phrase "had driven" is in the past perfect tense, which is used to indicate an action that was completed before another past action. While grammatically correct, it complicates the narrative unnecessarily in this context, where a straightforward past tense is more appropriate.

Conclusion

The choice "drove" is definitively the correct answer as it clearly and effectively communicates the sequence of actions in a straightforward manner. The other options either introduce unnecessary complexity or do not align with the context of a completed past action, thus failing to provide the clarity needed in the sentence.