The correct option for the sentence "By the time the rainy season ended, all the young cocoa trees .... in size" is
B. had doubled.
Step-by-Step Explanation:
-
Understanding the Context: The sentence refers to a specific time in the past, which is the end of the rainy season. The phrase "by the time" indicates that we are looking at an event that was completed before another past event (the end of the rainy season).
-
Identifying the Tense: The phrase "had doubled" is in the past perfect tense. The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. In this case, the action of the cocoa trees doubling in size was completed before the rainy season ended.
-
Analyzing the Options:
- A. have double: This option is incorrect because "have" is present tense, which does not fit with the past context of the sentence. The sentence is discussing events that occurred in the past, so a present tense verb is inappropriate.
- B. had doubled: This is the correct option. It uses the past perfect tense, indicating that the action of the trees doubling in size was completed before the rainy season ended.
- C. were doubling: This option uses the past continuous tense, which suggests an ongoing action in the past. However, the sentence implies that the trees had already completed the action of doubling in size by the time the rainy season ended, making this option unsuitable.
-
D. doubled: While this option is in the simple past tense and could seem correct at first glance, it does not convey the sequence of events as clearly as the past perfect tense does. It suggests that the trees doubled in size at some point during the rainy season, rather than before it ended.
-
Conclusion: The use of "had doubled" (option B) clearly indicates that the action of the trees growing in size was completed before the rainy season ended, which is the intended meaning of the sentence.
Revision Summary:
- The correct answer is B. had doubled because it uses the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before another past event.
- The other options are incorrect due to tense mismatches or failure to convey the sequence of events properly.
- Understanding verb tenses is crucial for accurately completing sentences in English.
- Always consider the context of the sentence to determine the appropriate tense to use.