Understanding Sentence Completion and Negation

This question asks us to complete a sentence that explains why Mohan and I could not get into the house. The sentence starts with "Mohan and I couldn't get into the house because...". We need to choose the option that provides a logical and grammatically correct reason for this inability to enter.

The reason they couldn't get in must be that they lacked the necessary means of entry, presumably keys. The options explore different ways of expressing this lack of keys, focusing on who had the keys (or didn't) among the two people, Mohan and I.

Analyzing the Options for Sentence Completion

• Option 1: neither of us had the keys

  This option uses the structure "neither of us had". 'Neither of us' means 'not one and not the other' of the two people. So, 'neither of us had the keys' correctly implies that Mohan did not have the keys, AND I did not have the keys. If neither person had the keys, then it is logically impossible for them to get into the house. This fits perfectly with the first part of the sentence "Mohan and I couldn't get into the house because...". The past tense 'had' matches the past tense 'couldn't get'.

• Option 2: both of us do not have the keys

  This option uses the structure "both of us do not have". 'Both of us' refers to Mohan and I. 'Do not have' is in the present tense. The sentence "Mohan and I couldn't get into the house" is in the past tense. Using the present tense "do not have" to explain a past event "couldn't get" is grammatically inconsistent. While the meaning (both lacked keys) is the same as Option 1, the tense mismatch makes this option less appropriate.

• Option 3: either of us did not have the keys

  This option uses the structure "either of us did not have". 'Either of us' usually implies 'one or the other'. "Either of us did not have the keys" is grammatically awkward and unclear. If it meant 'at least one of us did not have the keys', it wouldn't necessarily explain why *neither* could get in. If one person had the keys, they could potentially open the door. The sentence requires a reason why *both* were prevented from entering. This option fails on both grammatical correctness and logical explanation.

• Option 4: neither of us did have the keys

  This option uses the structure "neither of us did have". While "did have" can be used for emphasis (e.g., "I *did* have the keys, but I lost them"), using "did have" after "neither of us" is grammatically awkward and unnatural in this context. The simple past tense "had" as used in Option 1 is the standard and correct way to express past possession (or lack thereof) after "neither of us".

Conclusion on the Correct Option

Comparing the options, Option 1 "neither of us had the keys" is the only one that is grammatically correct, uses the appropriate tense (past tense "had" matching "couldn't get"), and provides a clear, logical reason why Mohan and I were unable to enter the house (because both lacked the keys). The structure "neither of us had" is the standard and most natural way to express this in English.

Therefore, the correct completion of the sentence is "Mohan and I couldn't get into the house because neither of us had the keys."

Revision Table: Sentence Completion Analysis

Additional Information on "Neither Of Us" and "Both Of Us"

• "Neither of us" is used to talk about two people or things, indicating that the statement is not true for either of them. It is usually followed by a singular verb, although a plural verb is also sometimes used in informal contexts (but singular is preferred in formal writing). In the past tense, "neither of us had" is standard.
• "Both of us" is used to talk about two people or things, indicating that the statement is true for both of them. It is followed by a plural verb.
• When expressing a negative reason for a past event, the past tense should be used in the reason clause for consistency, as seen in the correct option "neither of us had".