In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select "no improvement". Winds blowing northwards (has took) our kite to a vertiginous height.
had taken
Understanding Sentence Improvement and Verb Forms
The question asks us to identify the best alternative to replace the bracketed part "(has took)" in the sentence: "Winds blowing northwards (has took) our kite to a vertiginous height." This is a common type of grammar question focusing on correct verb forms and tense.
Analyzing the Original Sentence and Error
The subject of the sentence is "Winds blowing northwards". Although "blowing northwards" modifies "Winds", the main subject is "Winds", which is a plural noun. The verb phrase is "(has took)".
Let's break down why "(has took)" is incorrect:
- The auxiliary verb used is "has". "Has" is used with singular subjects in the third person (like he, she, it, or a singular noun). For a plural subject like "Winds", the correct auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense is "have".
- The main verb is "took". "Took" is the simple past tense form of the verb "take". When using auxiliary verbs like "has" or "have" (or "had" for past perfect), the main verb must be in its past participle form. The past participle of "take" is "taken".
Therefore, the correct present perfect form would be "have taken". The original phrase "(has took)" incorrectly uses a singular auxiliary with a plural subject and the simple past form instead of the past participle.
Evaluating the Improvement Options
We need to look at the provided options to see which one offers a grammatically correct replacement for "(has took)". The options suggest a perfect tense is required.
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had take
This option uses the auxiliary verb "had". However, it uses the base form of the verb "take" ("take") instead of the required past participle ("taken"). Therefore, "had take" is grammatically incorrect.
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had taken
This option uses the auxiliary verb "had" followed by the past participle "taken". This forms the past perfect tense ("had taken"). The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in the past. It can also simply place an action firmly in the past. The form "had taken" is grammatically correct and can be used with both singular and plural subjects. Given that the winds took the kite to a height, the past perfect tense here could imply the action was completed, resulting in the kite being at that height. This option provides a grammatically valid structure.
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had taking
This option uses the auxiliary verb "had" followed by the present participle ("taking"). Auxiliary verbs like "had" require the past participle ("taken"), not the present participle ("taking"). The form "had taking" is grammatically incorrect.
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no improvement
As we established that "(has took)" is grammatically incorrect due to the wrong auxiliary verb ("has" instead of "have" for a plural subject) and the wrong main verb form ("took" instead of "taken"), the sentence definitely needs improvement. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Determining the Correct Improvement
Based on the analysis of the options, "had taken" is the only grammatically correct alternative provided that appropriately uses a perfect tense structure. It correctly uses the auxiliary verb "had" followed by the past participle "taken". While "have taken" (present perfect) would also be grammatically correct in form for the plural subject, it was not offered as an option. The option "had taken" correctly applies the rules for forming a perfect tense with the verb "take".
Replacing "(has took)" with "had taken" results in the sentence: "Winds blowing northwards had taken our kite to a vertiginous height." This sentence is grammatically sound and implies the action of the winds taking the kite occurred and was completed in the past.
Conclusion
The bracketed part "(has took)" requires improvement because the subject is plural ("Winds"), requiring "have" in the present perfect, and the past participle "taken" is needed instead of the simple past "took". Among the given options, "had taken" is the only grammatically correct perfect tense form of the verb "take".
| Verb Form | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Form | take | Used after modals (will take), or in simple present (I take) |
| Simple Past | took | Used for actions completed in the past (I took) |
| Past Participle | taken | Used after auxiliary verbs have/has/had (have taken, has taken, had taken) |
| Present Participle | taking | Used in continuous tenses (is taking, was taking) or as gerund/participle |
Revision Table: Improving Verb Usage
| Original (Incorrect) | Reason Incorrect | Option 1 | Reason Incorrect | Option 2 (Correct) | Reason Correct | Option 3 | Reason Incorrect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| has took | Plural subject needs 'have'; needs past participle 'taken'. | had take | Needs past participle 'taken' after 'had'. | had taken | Correct form for past perfect tense ('had' + past participle 'taken'). | had taking | Needs past participle 'taken' after 'had'. |
Additional Information: Understanding Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses in English use a form of the auxiliary verb "have" (have/has/had) followed by the past participle of the main verb. They describe actions that have a connection to a specific point in time.
- Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle): Connects a past action to the present. Examples: She has finished her homework (it is done now). They have visited Paris multiple times (experience relevant now).
- Past Perfect Tense (had + past participle): Describes an action that was completed before another action or point in the past. Example: She had finished her homework before she went out. By the time we arrived, they had already eaten. It can also be used when the point in the past is implied or when simply placing an action firmly in the past without reference to another past event, especially when contrasting with the present or providing background. In the sentence "Winds blowing northwards had taken our kite...", the past perfect emphasizes the completion of the action (taking the kite) at some point in the past, leading to the kite being at a height.
- Future Perfect Tense (will have + past participle): Describes an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future. Example: By this time tomorrow, I will have completed the project.
Choosing the correct perfect tense depends on the context and the relationship between the action and the time being referred to.
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
My old teacher gave many poor students money in spite of he was poor.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
You should to read the newspaper regularly if you want to be well-informed.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
If he had listening to me he would not have got lost.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”
He asked for a bank loan also he didn't have sufficient resources.
In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.
I went to the shop to buy some stationeries .
