Question

I do not expect that he will be here ________ a week and I am certain that he will not be here ________ sunset today.

• A. before, within
• B. before, to
• C. within, before
• D. since, within

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

"Within" refers to something happening during a specified period. - The phrase "within a week" suggests that the event will occur anytime inside that week, but not beyond it. This fits with the idea of time frame from the present moment. "Before" is used to indicate something happening earlier than a particular point in time, such as "before sunset."
- It is used when a specific point in time is mentioned and the action will occur earlier. Thus, the sentence "he will not be here before sunset" fits well with this usage.
- "Before, within" would be incorrect because "before" doesn’t express a period in time, and "within" should come first when talking about a time frame.
- "Since" refers to a starting point in time and is used with the present perfect tense, making option (D) incorrect.
- "Within" refers to something that will occur during a specified time period, while "before" refers to something happening prior to a specific moment.
- Avoid mixing them up as they express different relationships with time.