Extract:
Select the word or phrase that makes the following sentence grammatically correct.
The students promised ____________ themselves with quiet dignity.
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A
conduct
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B
conducting
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C
to conduct
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D
to be conducted
The phrase "to conduct" makes the sentence grammatically correct by providing the infinitive form required after the verb "promised."
A) conduct
Bare infinitive "conduct" cannot follow "promised" without the particle "to." "Promised conduct" creates ungrammatical verb sequence lacking required infinitive marker.
B) conducting
Gerund "conducting" cannot function as direct object after "promised." While some verbs take gerunds ("enjoy conducting"), "promise" requires infinitive complements expressing intended future action.
C) to conduct
Infinitive "to conduct" correctly follows "promised," which commonly takes infinitive complements to express commitments to future actions. "Promised to conduct themselves" forms a grammatically standard verb phrase.
D) to be conducted
Passive infinitive "to be conducted" illogically suggests the students will be conducted by someone else—reversing the intended meaning that students will actively conduct themselves with dignity.
Conclusion
Verbs expressing commitments or intentions ("promise," "agree," "decide") typically take infinitive complements ("to + base verb") to express intended future actions. "To conduct" provides the grammatically required active infinitive form after "promised," expressing self-directed dignified behavior.