Question in-the
In the late 1960s, inspired in part by the sight of laundry hanging on a clothesline, African American abstract painter Sam Gilliam began to create his iconic “Drape” paintings. He applied bold, saturated hues to large canvases and blank them from ceilings or walls, causing the drooping fabric to cascade in dramatic loops and curves.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
to have suspended
suspending
to suspend
suspended
In the late 1960s, inspired in part by the sight of laundry hanging on a clothesline,
Medium-difficulty · SAT Reading & Writing · Form, Structure, and Sense — Parallel structure. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.
Answer explanation
Choice D is the best answer. The past tense of "suspended" matches the past tense of "applied," which has the same subject ("he") and takes place in the same context: "He applied…and [he] suspended."
Choice A is incorrect. The perfect infinitive "to have suspended" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses. Choice B is incorrect. The present participle "suspending" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses. Choice C is incorrect. The infinitive "to suspend" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses.
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