1. Select the correct word for the blank in the following sentence: The other day, Stan _____ reviewing his class notes in preparation for the final exam.
Answer: D
Stan began reviewing his class notes in preparation for the final exam.
The appropriate word to fill in the blank is "began," which is the past tense of "begin" and correctly indicates that Stan was reviewing his notes at a previous time.
A) begins
"Begins" is the present tense form of the verb "begin," which does not fit in the context of the sentence that describes a past action.
B) begun
"Begun" is the past participle form of "begin" and is typically used with auxiliary verbs. In this sentence, it cannot stand alone as the main verb, making it an incorrect choice.
C) begin
"Begin" is the base form of the verb and, like "begins," is present tense. It does not appropriately convey the timing of Stan’s action in the context of the sentence.
D) began
"Began" is the simple past tense of "begin," which accurately reflects that Stan had already started his review of class notes prior to the time the statement is made, making it the correct choice.
Conclusion
The correct answer, "began," effectively conveys that Stan was engaged in reviewing his class notes at a previous time, aligning perfectly with the sentence's context. All other options fail to provide the appropriate tense needed for the action described.