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Question

Who ___________ was coming to see us this evening?

The correct answer is

did you say

Sentence Completion Basics

This question requires us to find the correct phrase to complete the sentence: "Who ___________ was coming to see us this evening?". It tests our understanding of English sentence structure, particularly how questions are formed, often involving reported speech or indirect questions.

Analyzing Sentence Options

We need to evaluate how each option fits into the sentence grammatically and contextually:

  • Option 1: you said If we insert this, the sentence becomes "Who you said was coming to see us this evening?". This phrasing is awkward and grammatically incorrect in standard English.
  • Option 2: did you say Inserting this option results in: "Who did you say was coming to see us this evening?". This is a standard and grammatically correct way to ask for clarification about who someone mentioned was coming. It forms a proper interrogative structure, asking about the identity of the person related to a previous statement.
  • Option 3: did you say that This gives: "Who did you say that was coming to see us this evening?". While grammatically acceptable, the word "that" is often optional here and can be omitted for better flow. Option 2 is generally considered more direct and stylistically preferred.
  • Option 4: had you said The sentence would read: "Who had you said was coming to see us this evening?". The use of the past perfect tense ("had you said") is not appropriate for this type of question asking about a specific past statement in relation to the current query. The simple past ("did you say") is the correct tense here.

Identifying the Correct Fit

The structure "Who did you say was coming...?" is the standard form for this type of inquiry. It correctly uses inversion ("did you say") typical of questions and integrates the clause smoothly. The sentence essentially asks: "Which person, according to what you said, was coming to see us this evening?".

Final Corrected Sentence

Based on the analysis, the most appropriate phrase is 'did you say'. The fully completed sentence reads:

"Who did you say was coming to see us this evening?"

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Important Questions from Verbal Ability

  1. What will fit in the blank taken from the passage. "Robert’s model made connections _______ the idea of an emotion circle and a color wheel."

  2. Choose the synonym of the word 'anticipation'.

  3. Choose the antonym of the word 'happiness'.

  4. Which of the following is true according to the given passage:

    I. The sensation of boredom is described as feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity or environment.

    II. The freedom of self-concept is the window for boredom to arise.

    III. The slow process of enlarging a hole by repetitive movements is called happiness.

  5. What did Robert Plutchik created?

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