Question

The payment was collected by the hardworking salesman
Find the alternative statement which meets the requirements of standard written English

• A. The hardworking salesman collects the payment
• B. The hardworking salesman was able to collect the payment.
• C. The hardworking salesman collected the payment
• D. To collect the payment the salesman had to work hard.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To find the correct alternative that meets the requirements of standard written English, we evaluate each given option in terms of clarity, grammatical correctness, and adherence to the subject-verb-object structure.

1. Option 1: The hardworking salesman collects the payment.
   This sentence is correct but changes the tense from past to present, which alters the original meaning indicating an ongoing or habitual action rather than a completed past action.
2. Option 2: The hardworking salesman was able to collect the payment.
   This sentence implies ability but introduces a notion of possibility or effort, instead of a simple past completion.
3. Option 3: The hardworking salesman collected the payment.
   This sentence is grammatically correct and concise. It maintains the past tense, indicating a completed action, which aligns with the original sentence's intended meaning.
4. Option 4: To collect the payment the salesman had to work hard.
   This sentence suggests causation or condition but lacks the straightforwardness of a simple past event.

Based on the evaluation, Option 3: The hardworking salesman collected the payment is the best choice. It reflects the correct use of past tense while maintaining clarity and a straightforward structure.