Question

now learning
english skill drill: verbs

in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries, automobiles
were commonly referred to as
horseless carriages after the older
technology they still resembled.
known as the brass era, this period
in automotive design is
remembered for its grandeur and
artistry, its vehicles ______ by
collectors for their ornate detailing
and gleaming brass fittings.

which choice completes the text so that it
conforms to the conventions of standard english?
○ are highly prized
○ had been highly prized
○ highly prized
○ were highly prized
teach me check answer

Explanation:

• The text is about a past period (the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, known as the Brass Era). So, the verb tense should be in the past.
• “are highly prized” is in the present - tense, which is incorrect as the context is about a past era.
• “had been highly prized” is past - perfect tense. Past - perfect is used when one past action precedes another past action. There is no such sequence of past actions indicated here.
• “highly prized” is not a complete verb phrase (missing a helping verb for the passive voice).
• “were highly prized” is in the simple past - tense and in the passive voice (since the vehicles were the recipients of the action “prized” by collectors), which fits the context of the past - time description.

Answer:

were highly prized