Choose the correct option to fill in the blank:
The clement king _________ the criminal when the cheating case gets a hearing in the royal court.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → will absolve
Future in a sentence with a time clause:
- In a clause of time beginning with when, before, after, as soon as, until, the simple present is used for a future event.
- The main clause then takes the simple future (will + base verb).
- This sentence: Clue word: "when the cheating case gets a hearing" points to a future hearing, so the main clause needs will absolve (absolve: to declare someone free from guilt or punishment, clement: merciful).
- Complete sentence: The clement king will absolve the criminal when the cheating case gets a hearing in the royal court.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: absolved — Incorrect. It is the simple past. It does not match "gets", which refers to the future.
Option 3: has absolved — Incorrect. The present perfect shows an action already completed. The hearing has not yet taken place.
Option 4: had absolved — Incorrect. The past perfect marks the earlier of two past actions. There is no past action in this sentence.
Contrast: in a "when" clause the simple present ("gets") refers to the future and the main clause takes will + base verb. The past forms (absolved, had absolved) do not fit a hearing still to come.