<p>16) In the early days of the steam locomotive, compassionate engineers would sometimes (have thrown) coal overboard in poor neighborhood.</p>
<p>The answer is 'have thrown'. Based off of my ear I got it right, but I don't understand why. I don't understand what tense 'would' initiates. </p>
<p>Also, I'm taking the SAT tomorrow so if there is any information such as form code or anything in particular that you would like to know, let me know and I will try to remember.</p>
<p>“Would have” is used to discuss something that didn’t happen in the past but was conditionally probable: “If I had not forgotten to lock the front door, we would not have been robbed.”</p>
<p>“Would” by itself in this context is used to describe some custom or habit that took place in the past: “We would eat cereal late at night in our pajamas.”</p>
<p>(So the correction would be In the early days of the steam locomotive, compassionate engineers would sometimes throw coal overboard in poor neighborhoods.)</p>
<p>Take out the “sometimes”. It’s probably throwing you off.</p>
<p>Thank you very much crazybandit!</p>
<p>you are very smart sir</p>
<p>yes - it changes from past participle to past… “throw” instead of “have thrown”</p>
<p>Just thought of something though… I may have been tempted to put “compassionate engineers WOULD HAVE COAL THROWN overboard” - meaning that the engineer is in charge and would order it thrown overboard by his crew.</p>
<p>Actually if we’re being literal about things, your example above should have either “a” added before “poor” or an “s” added to the end of “neighborhood.”</p>