Extract:
Select the word or phrase that makes the following sentence grammatically correct.
The wheelchair started ___________ down the corridor without assistance.
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A
roll
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B
to roll
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C
rolled
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D
will roll
The phrase "to roll" makes the sentence grammatically correct by providing the infinitive form required after "started."
A) roll
Bare infinitive "roll" cannot follow "started" without the particle "to." "Started roll" creates an ungrammatical verb sequence lacking required infinitive marker.
B) to roll
Infinitive "to roll" correctly follows the verb "started," which commonly takes infinitive complements expressing initiated actions. "Started to roll" forms a grammatically standard verb phrase.
C) rolled
Past tense "rolled" creates tense conflict with present tense "started" and fails to form a coherent verb phrase. "Started rolled" produces an ungrammatical sequence of two finite verbs without conjunction.
D) will roll
Future tense "will roll" creates modal conflict with "started" and produces an ungrammatical verb sequence. "Started will roll" lacks proper syntactic connection between the verbs.
Conclusion
Verbs like "start," "begin," and "continue" commonly take infinitive complements ("to + base verb") to express initiated actions. "To roll" provides the grammatically required infinitive form after "started," creating a coherent verb phrase expressing motion initiation.