4. Select the word or phrase in the sentence that is not used correctly: 'Long before his death, Pablo Picasso had became one of the most important artists in history.'
Answer: A
Had became is not used correctly.
The phrase "had became" is incorrect because the verb "become" should be used in its past participle form, which is "become," rather than "became."
A) had became
This option is incorrect because "became" is the simple past tense form of the verb "become." In this context, the past perfect tense requires the past participle "become" to be used correctly. Thus, the correct phrase should be "had become."
B) long before
This option is correct as it is used appropriately to indicate a time reference prior to Pablo Picasso's death. The phrase "long before" effectively sets the temporal context for the statement.
C) in
This option is also correct. The preposition "in" is used correctly in the phrase "in history," signifying Picasso's significance within the broader context of art history.
D) the most
This option is used correctly. The phrase "the most" indicates a superlative, which is appropriate in this context to describe Picasso's standing as one of the most important artists.
Conclusion
The analysis clearly shows that "had became" is the only incorrect usage among the options provided, as it fails to adhere to the grammatical structure required by the past perfect tense. All other options, "long before," "in," and "the most," are correctly used within the sentence, reinforcing the notion that "had became" is the sole error.