Question

Identify the correct sentence from the options given below.

• A. If XAT aspirants had not taken so long checking each question before attempting the next question they might not have run out of time.
• B. If XAT aspirants had taken so long checking each question before attempting the next question they might not have run out of time.
• C. Had XAT aspirants not took so long checking every question before attempting the next question they might not have run out of time.
• D. If XAT aspirants had took so long checking each and every question before attempting the next question they might not have run out of time.

Hint:

Use had taken, never had took, and check that the placement of not keeps the cause and effect logical.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

This sentence is a third conditional, used to talk about an imagined change to something that already happened. The standard pattern is If plus subject plus had not plus past participle, followed by subject plus might or could plus not plus have plus past participle. Both the grammar, correct verb forms, and the logic, the two halves fitting together sensibly, need to be checked.

1. If XAT aspirants had not taken so long checking each question before attempting the next question they might not have run out of time: The verb form had not taken is correct, and the logic holds together, they did take too long on each question, and because of that they ran out of time; if they had not taken so long, they might have avoided running out of time.
2. If XAT aspirants had taken so long checking each question ... they might not have run out of time: The word not is missing before taken. As written, it says taking a long time would help them avoid running out of time, which reverses the intended logic.
3. Had XAT aspirants not took so long checking every question ... they might not have run out of time: Had not took is wrong; after had, or the inverted Had not, the verb must be in the past participle form taken, not the simple past took.
4. If XAT aspirants had took so long checking each and every question ... they might not have run out of time: Same verb error as option 3, had took should be had taken. It also lacks the not needed for the logic to make sense, similar to option 2.

Option 1 is the only one that both uses the correct past participle taken and keeps the cause and effect logical, taking too long on each question caused the time to run out. So option 1 is correct.

Let's summarize:

• After had, or an inverted Had not, use the past participle taken, never the simple past took.
• Check that the not is placed so the sentence's cause and effect actually make sense together.

Option 1 is grammatically correct and logically consistent, so it is the answer.