Exam
Answer
The sentence requires an infinitive verb form to follow the modal verb “needs to.” The correct sentence should read, “The manager needs to finish the report before the meeting.” The infinitive form “to finish” is the only option that grammatically fits the sentence structure after the phrase “needs to.”
b) finished – This is the past tense form of the verb and does not fit with the modal verb “needs to.” c) finishing – This is the present participle form of the verb and would require a different sentence structure, such as “The manager is finishing.” d) finishes – This is the third person singular present tense form of the verb and does not fit with the modal verb “needs to.”
For Your Information
In English grammar, modal verbs like “need to” are followed by the base form of the main verb, which is also known as the infinitive without “to.” This rule applies to most modal verbs, including “can,” “should,” “must,” etc. The infinitive form is used because the modal verb already provides the necessary tense and meaning to the sentence, and the main verb is there to complete the action.
