Henry will not be able to attend

[Freeguy]

Henry will not be able to attend the meeting tonight because .......... .

1. he must to teach a class
2. of he will teach a class
3. he will be teaching a class
4. he will have teaching a class


I'd go for No.1. However, answer key went for No.3. I don't get the reason. Meanwhile, I don't know why we can't use present here!
Thanks!

 

[probus]

Are you really an English teacher?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is this another question from the fairly appalling set of questions that you said you wouldn't post excerpts from anymore? Having said that, this is a perfectly good question and no 3 is the only correct answer. We do not say "must to do something". "Must" takes the bare infinitive.

"He will not be able to attend the meeting because he must teach a class" would work but it's not one of the choices. Number 3 is perfectly fine.

 

[riquecohen]

Henry will not be able to attend the meeting tonight because .......... .

1. he must to teach a class
2. of he will teach a class
3. he will be teaching a class
4. he will have teaching a class


I'd go for No.1. However, answer key went for No.3. I don't get the reason. Meanwhile, I don't know why we can't use present here!
Thanks!

You can use the simple present, as in "he must teach a class." No. 1 is not correct because of the use of the infinitive "to teach." Of the options given, only No. 3 is correct. We often use the future progressive to refer to an action that will happen at a specific time in the future.

 

[Freeguy]

I made a mistake. The first option was: Must teach a class.Without TO. That's why I asked from you. To my trifling knowledge, as you pointed out as well, both No.1 and 3 would work. I know that we use bare infinitive after modal verbs. By the way, thanks for your thorough explanations. And yes I'm an English teacher probus. What's the problem?

 

[emsr2d2]

I made a mistake. The first option was: Must teach a class.Without TO. That's why I asked from you. To my trifling knowledge, as you pointed out as well, both No.1 and 3 would work. I know that we use bare infinitive after modal verbs. By the way, thanks for your thorough explanations. And yes I'm an English teacher probus. What's the problem?

Well, in that case, I revert to my previous opinion that this question is probably from the set that we hoped you wouldn't use anymore! If #1 was "he must teach a class", then both #1 and #3 are perfectly acceptable.

 

[Freeguy]

I swear that's not my fault. You enlighten me after your answers. It would be an invaluable help for me. That's all!

 

[emsr2d2]

I swear that's not my fault. You enlighten me after your answers. It would be an invaluable help for me. That's all!

No-one has suggested that it's your fault but I'm really not sure that it's a good use of your time or ours to keep working on poor test questions.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I swear that's not my fault. You enlighten me after your answers. It would be an invaluable help for me. That's all!

I don't like the questions anymore than anybody else here, but I continue to believe that you learn from our responses to these questions. If that is true, then it is worthwhile.

 

[Freeguy]

You hit the nail on the head Mike. I learn a lot from your responses. Believe me.