Question

Pick out the best filler which can complete the given sentence correctly.
The students studied so diligently that they _____

• A. May have passed the exam
• B. Passed the exam
• C. Passing the exam
• D. Had passed the exam

Hint:

When a sentence uses "so... that,'' use a past simple tense if it shows a clear and completed result.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The structure "so [adjective/adverb] that...'' is used to show cause and effect.
Here, "studied so diligently that...'' implies a definite result.
Let's evaluate the options:
- (A) "May have passed'' — suggests uncertainty, but the sentence implies a certain result.
- (B) "Passed the exam'' — this fits perfectly. It’s in the past tense and shows a direct result.
- (C) "Passing the exam'' — grammatically incorrect in this context.
- (D) "Had passed'' — past perfect is not needed here because there’s no second event for comparison.
Hence, Option B is correct.