In the question a part of the sentence is italicized .
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In the question a part of the sentence is italicized. Alternatives to the italicized part are given which may improve the construction of the sentence. Select the correct alternative.
As soon as I turn the ignition key, the engine caught fire.
Show answer & explanation
The sentence describes a sequence of past events where the engine caught fire after the ignition key action was completed. Both clauses must use the same tense (past) for grammatical consistency. The present tense 'I turn' in the original creates a tense mismatch with 'caught fire' (past tense). Option B corrects this with past tense 'I turned,' maintaining proper temporal alignment and the causal relationship between the two actions.
Step-by-step Derivation:
Tense Agreement Analysis:
- Main clause: 'the engine caught fire' — past tense
- Subordinate clause ('As soon as...'): introduces a prior completed action
- Original: 'I turn' (present) + 'caught fire' (past) = tense mismatch ❌
- Option A: 'turn an ignition key' (present, wrong article) — still wrong tense ❌
- Option B: 'I turned the ignition key' (past, correct article) — matches 'caught fire' ✓
- Option C: 'I was turning' (continuous past) — suggests ongoing action when the ignition was triggered, incorrect sequence ❌
- Option D: 'No change' — leaves the tense error ❌
Correct answer: B