16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardConsistent verb form after 'rather than'

Standard English Conventions practice question

The council chose to repair the old hall rather than ____ a new one.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. buildCorrect
  2. B. building
  3. C. to have built
  4. D. it built

Answer: A. build

'To repair' pairs with 'build' after 'rather than'.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. building
A gerund does not match 'to repair'.
C. to have built
A perfect infinitive shifts the time.
D. it built
A clause breaks the structure.

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