17. Select the word or phrase that makes this sentence grammatically correct: The development committee ___ a bargain with the city planners.
Answer: C
The development committee struck a bargain with the city planners.
The appropriate word to complete the sentence is "struck," as it is the correct past tense form of "strike," which is needed to indicate that the action has already taken place.
A) striked
"Striked" is not a valid word in English. The correct past tense form of "strike" is "struck." Therefore, this option is incorrect.
B) stroke
"Stroke" is the present tense of the verb and does not fit the context of the sentence, which requires a past tense verb to indicate that the bargain has already been made. Thus, this option is incorrect.
C) struck
"Struck" is the correct past tense form of "strike," making it the appropriate choice for this sentence. It indicates that the action of making a bargain has already been completed, aligning perfectly with the grammatical structure needed.
D) strike
"Strike" is the base form of the verb and does not convey the past action required in this context. Since the sentence talks about a completed action, this option is also incorrect.
Conclusion
The correct answer, "struck," effectively communicates that the development committee has already made a bargain with the city planners. All other options either do not exist in standard English or fail to convey the past tense required for this sentence, confirming that "struck" is the only grammatically correct choice.