V12-05

Question

Shortly after sunset there  were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but  a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

A. were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
B. has been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but 
C. had been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
D. is juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there was nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but only
E. have been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral except

sayantanc2k · Accepted Answer

Official Solution:

Shortly after sunset there  were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but  a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

A. were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
B. has been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but 
C. had been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
D. is juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there was nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but only
E. have been juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral except

For using past perfect the later past event does not need to be expressed with a Simple Past tense verb. One could just use a date or another time reference. Using this construction, this sentence is set up: first clause expresses an early action in Simple Past. Then, a second clause expresses a later action in Past Perfect to indicate continued effect (by a still later past time).
 
A. “Quarter to one” is the time reference here before which another verb “had been” took place. Therefore the verb “had been” is used correctly in the past perfect to depict that the sky was already clear before quarter to one and the effect of the verb was still there at quarter to one.
 
B. Present perfect indicates an action whose effect is still present. However the effect of the occurrence of juddering green stabs of lightning is no longer present and hence the use of present perfect “has been” is wrong. Moreover “has been” is a singular verb and does not correspond to the plural subject “stabs”.
 
The simple present “is” is wrong. The present is not depicted, but the past before quarter to one is indicated by the verb “had been” - the effect of that verb still existed at quarter to one and hence the use of past perfect is required.
 
C. The verb “had been” is wrongly used in past perfect tense - there is no corresponding past event or time reference that bears on this verb.
 
The simple present “is” is wrong. The present is not depicted, but the past before quarter to one is indicated by the verb “had been” - the effect of that verb still existed at quarter to one and hence the use of past perfect is required.
 
D. The verb “is” is in simple present tense, but the verb occurred in the past - hence use of simple present tense is wrong.
 
Use of simple past “was” is wrong - past perfect is required to depict an action that occurred before the time reference “by quarter to one” and whose effect was still present at “quarter to one”.
 
E. Present perfect indicates an action whose effect is still present. However the effect of the occurrence of juddering green stabs of lightning is no longer present and hence the use of present perfect “have been” is wrong.

Answer: A

saichandm · Answer

shouldn't the earlier event have past perfect and the event that occurs afterwards have past tense??

sayantanc2k · Answer

This is one of the most confusing traps in tense section - it is suggested that be consciously aware of this trap. The explanation already clarifies why the tenses are so. Following is another example (from Manhattan SC guide) - compare this with option A - the concept would then probably be clearer:

The band U2 WAS just one of many new groups on the rock music scene in the early 1980's, but less than ten years later, U2 HAD fully ECLIPSED its early rivals in the pantheon of popular music.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

While the use of tense in the original, supposedly correct, version of this sentence might be correct in another context, the meaning conveyed by that version is nonsensical.

Here's the OA version:

Shortly after sunset there were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

The first part of the sentence works, this part, "Shortly after sunset there were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south."

Now, notice what that part conveys. It conveys that there HAD BEEN stabs of lightning.

OK, now, let's consider what the second portion conveys. It conveys that, by a point in time later that night, there HAD BEEN nothing in the sky but a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

The meaning of the second portion conflicts with that of the first.

While many people are under the impression that "by the time x" in the past must be followed by the past perfect, it can also be followed by the simple past of "to be," which in this case is "was."

In order for this sentence to make sense, it has to use the simple past "was" rather than the past perfect "had been."

Here's the correct version:

Shortly after sunset there were juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there  was  nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

Bunuel · Answer

The question or/and solution has been revised and edited. Thank you  sayantanc2k  !!!

keepmovingfw27 · Answer

Shortly after sunset there  were juddering  green stabs  of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but  a thin patchwork of moonlit cloud.

Test: Verb tense, SV agreement
A.  were juddering  green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there had been nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
=> Correct. Verb tense makes sense
B.  has been  juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but 
=> SV disagreement 
C.  had been  juddering green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but
=> had been juddering... -> order of action doesn't make sense
D.  is juddering  green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there was nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral but only
=> SV disagreement 
E.  have been juddering  green stabs of lightning to the south, but by a quarter to one in the morning there is nothing in the warm, wet July air over Cape Canaveral except 
=> have been is used for action that is still going on in the present, whereas this action has ended. 
"Except" is wrong

vabogabir · Answer

i dont get it, the sunset was earlier than quarter to one in the morning right? i mean, there is a time reference. In (A) it seems that sunset came after quarter to one in the morning and that doesnt make sence

RV1807 · Answer

Go to google. Search for the article on Economist - A sudden light. It is the first sentence from that.

This is the article. It's the first line. Now are you saying the exact line from Economist is wrong?

V12-05

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