Sentence improvement (correlative conjunction and tense): correct the structure “never … nor …” across time Original sentence: "He never has and ever will take such strong measures." Choose the option that best corrects tense and correlation.
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Ahad taken nor will ever take
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Bhad taken and will ever take
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Chas and never will take
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Dhad and ever will take
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ENo correction required
Answer
Correct Answer: had taken nor will ever take
Explanation
Given data
- Target meaning: He has not done this in the past and will not do so in the future.
- Original uses mismatched “never has and ever will …” without a correlative conjunction.
Concept/ApproachNegated coordination across time is expressed with the correlative pair neither … nor … (or an equivalent “never … nor …”). Past reference typically uses had + past participle when contrasting with a future clause: “had never taken, nor will (he) ever take …”.
Step-by-step reasoningChoose the option that supplies (i) the correct negative correlative “nor” and (ii) appropriate tense contrast: had taken nor will ever take (to be read as “had never taken nor will ever take”).
Option analysishad taken nor will ever take — provides the needed “nor” and past-vs-future contrast. ✅had taken and will ever take — lacks correlative “nor” and misuses “ever”.has and never will take — incomplete/ill-formed coordination; missing a past participle after “has”.had and ever will take — ungrammatical auxiliaries without complements.No correction required — original is faulty.
Common pitfalls
- Forgetting to use nor after a negative like “neither/never”.
- Pairing auxiliaries without their required complements.
Final Answer… had taken nor will ever take such strong measures.