<li><p>one (subject) of Felipe Alfau’s second novel, published (more than) 40 years after it (has been) (written), is the illusory nature of the passage of time.</p></li>
<li><p>(Despite) the efforts of the publicity subcommittee (hardly anyone) attended the workshop that (had been) planned (so painstakingly).</p></li>
<li><p>Mediators were standing by, prepared (to intervene in) the labor dispute (even though) both sides (had refused) earlier offers (for) assistance.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>answers are C,E,A</p>
<p>can someone explain???</p>
<p>and i have always thought that (had) was for singulars… am i wrong?
can some please explain this also?</p>
<ol>
<li>Since it's published, the 'has' should be had. </li>
<li>There's no mistake. Did you think there was one? </li>
<li>to intervene in sounds wrong to me, I would use into or at, but this one of those hard ones where they test if you know the rules. </li>
</ol>
<p>You can use 'had' with plural, like they had been doing something, the they referring to plural subjects.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>follow the timeline... published more than 40 years after is "has been" written...should be "was written" to make sense</p></li>
<li><p>there's no error. which part were you suspicious of?</p></li>
<li><p>i think the error is in D (for)... should be earlier offers "of" assistance</p></li>
</ol>
<p>i concur with 714nD1; the error is in d. this question is from january 2007 and i have the brochure right in front of me, it says that d is wrong.</p>