Question

Complete the sentence with the most suitable option:
I couldn’t get through the traffic in time.
I wish I _________ through the traffic in time.
a) am able to get
b) had been able to get
c) was able to get
d) would have got

Answer 1

Hint: Look for pointers suggesting which modal auxiliary to use. The action has occurred in the given sentence, i.e. it occurred in the past. These pointers are indicators of certain situations.

Complete answer:
 Verbs are words that show action (sing), occurrence (develop), or state of being (exist). Almost every sentence requires a verb. The basic form of a verb is known as its infinitive.
A modal auxiliary is a type of verb that is used to indicate modality – that is: likelihood, ability, permission, request, capacity, suggestions, order, obligation, or advice. Modal verbs
always accompany the base form of another verb having semantic content.
In the given sentence, the narrator is telling us the fact that is in the conditional form. It is in the past tense, i.e. if it had been so. We need the past perfect tense verb along with the word ‘able’ as it shows ‘ability’.

Now, we know what we are looking for. Let’s look at the given options-
a) am able to get - This option is not in the past perfect tense. It does not fit perfectly into the context of the given sentence. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) had been able to get - This option is in the past perfect tense. It fits perfectly into the context of the given sentence. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
c) was able to get - This option is not in the past perfect tense. It does not fit perfectly into the context of the given sentence. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d) would have got - This option is not in the past perfect tense. It does not fit perfectly into the context of the given sentence. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
Understand the meaning of the given sentence, and then go through the given options. Make sure it is grammatically correct. Then, choose the correct option.