The biography of the James family, which included Henry, the literary master, and William, the famed psychologist-philosopher, showed that this extraordinary family was not immune to the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction that contributed to the insanity and early death of Henry and William's sister Alice.
1) that this extraordinary family was not immune to the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction that contributed
2) that this extraordinary family had no immunity to the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction contributing
3) this extraordinary family not to be immune from the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction that was a contribution
4) this extraordinary family as having no immunity from the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction contributing
5) this extraordinary family was not immune to the kind of Victorian-era dysfunction, and it contributed
Answer: A
In option A we have "showed" in the simple past tense, so does it make sense to have a past perfect after that for the sentence "extraordinary family had no immunity to the kind" rather than having simple past again " extraordinary family was not immune to the kind"?
Thanks,
Andy
SC question:Tense usage (Princeton review)
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- DavidG@VeritasPrep
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In this case "had" isn't past perfect, but rather, the simple past version of "has," as in 'possessed.'
Simple past: I had a sandwich.
Past perfect: I had had a sandwich
(The second might elicit giggles, but it's technically okay.)
Simple past: I had a sandwich.
Past perfect: I had had a sandwich
(The second might elicit giggles, but it's technically okay.)