Question

Choose the correct option to fill in the blank in the following sentence:
He ____ a business with his father’s money.
a) began
b) started
c) did
d) performed

Answer 1

Hint:
 Try to understand the meaning of the sentence. This will help you gauge which verb to use. Discover the noun that points to a certain verb. Then, go through the given options and choose the correct answer accordingly.

Complete answer:
We can identify the kind of verb needed when we look at the sentence. In order to do that, we need to deconstruct the given sentence-
Firstly, the verb needs to be in the past tense, as the sentence is giving us a fact. So, naturally, the verb should be in the simple past tense. The noun in the sentence is the word ‘business’ which refers to a person's regular occupation, profession, or trade'. This noun only takes a specific verb.

Now we know what we are looking for from the given answers. Let’s look at the given options-
a) began - The verb ‘began’ refers to ‘performed or underwent the first part of (an action or activity)’. This verb is in the simple past tense. However, the meaning of this verb does not fit into the given sentence. This verb does not go with the noun ‘business’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) started - The verb ‘started’ refers to ‘(of event or process) happened or came into being'. This verb is in the simple past tense. Moreover, the meaning of this verb fits into the given sentence. This verb also goes with the noun ‘business’. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
c) did - The verb ‘did’ refers to ‘performed (an action, the precise nature of which is often unspecified)’. This verb is in the simple past tense. However, the meaning of this verb does not fit into the given sentence. This verb does not go with the noun ‘business’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d) performed - The verb ‘performed’ refers to ‘presented (a form of entertainment) to an audience'. This verb is in the simple past tense. However, the meaning of this verb does not fit into the given sentence. This verb does not go with the noun ‘business’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
The sentences give you a clue as to which verb is required. Do not confuse the two verbs ‘began’ and ‘started’ with each other. They have similar meanings, but they are used in different contexts. The noun is the key to choosing the right verb.