<p>This happened and ended in the past, so how come it's "had written" instead of "had wrote", as it is? "Wrote" is the simple past version of "written", which is in the past participle. </p>
<p>Although born in the Midwest, Langston Hughes lived most of his adult life in Harlem, in New York City, where, like other writers in the 1930's, he <em>had wrote</em> some of his finest works.</p>
<p>Edit: Just read the CollegeBoard’s explanation</p>
<p>The error in this sentence occurs at (C), where an improper verb form is used. The past perfect tense of the verb phrase “had wrote” is inconsistent with the simple past tense of the other verbs in the sentence. Also, the past participle of “write” is “written,” not “wrote.”</p>
<p>But wait, so is the answer in the simple past or the past participle? And if it’s in the simple past, what would be the answer?</p>
<p>I think it would be simple past (wrote) because in the context of the sentence, it seems like everything else is happening in past tense. However, I don’t really have a fancy explanation because ‘wrote’ sounds better to me than ‘had written’ based on the way the sentence was written.</p>
<p>The simple past form of to write is “wrote.”</p>
<p>If you want to use the past perfect form, you use had + past participle. The past participle of to write is “written.” </p>
<p>“Had wrote” is never acceptable because you need to use the PP if had is in front.</p>
<p>I believe the simple past “wrote” would be appropriate here, though the exact correction we make is immaterial given that “had wrote” is always wrong.</p>
<p>Take “to swim” as an example of the difference.</p>
<p>I swim to the bridge.</p>
<p>I swam to the bridge.</p>
<p>I had swum to the bridge before I swam to the dock. </p>
<p>Never: I had swam to the bridge… OR I swum to the bridge.</p>