<p>During televisions early years, many stations broadcast programming only until midnight, [after which television screens will display] a static image known as a test pattern.</p>
<p>(B) after which television screens displayed
(C) after which television screens had displayed</p>
<p>Isn't "broadcast" present tense-- why is the prepositional phrase past tense and the main clause present tense? Shouldnt the original sentence be "had broadcasted" because choice B, the correct answer, is in a time period after the broadcasting?</p>
<p>A dictionary will answer the question. “Broadcast” is the correct form for present and past tenses.</p>
<p>Televisions display the screen AFTER midnight, so the past perfect “had” cannot be used. </p>
<p>That is tricky… why aren’t things like that more clear in school?</p>
<p>“Broadcasted” is currently acceptable, but “broadcast” is better when you look at what the term actually means. It essentially means to throw or cast a signal over a wide area. </p>
<p>Use a fishing analogy: “…many fishermen cast their lines only until their wives threatened them with divorce…” </p>
<p>“Casted” is not currently correct in that context (it’s obsolete), and that’s why the past tense “broadcast” is seen as more appropriate. </p>