Single correct option
By the time the guests arrived, the cook [has finished] preparing dinner.
- A. No improvement
- B. had finished
- C. was finished
- D. would finish
Show answer and solution
Answer: (B) had finished
The action of finishing happened before another past action (the guests' arrival), so the past perfect 'had finished' is required. The present perfect 'has finished' cannot be used with a past reference, which is the trap. Look for time markers such as 'by the time', 'before' and 'since', since they decide which tense is needed.
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