What word completes the sentence: 'Let your mother ______ you in the lunch line'?

What word completes the sentence: 'Let your mother ______ you in the lunch line'?

• A. precede
• B. precedes
• C. preceding
• D. preceded

Answer: (A)

After the causative verb let, the following verb stays in its base form (the bare infinitive). So the correct choice is precede because it fits the pattern Let + someone + verb in base form: Let your mother precede you in the lunch line, meaning allow her to go in front of you. The other forms don’t fit because they are conjugated or participial. Precedes is a present-tense form for he/she/it and would sound like Let your mother precedes you, which isn’t the structure after let. Preceding is the -ing form, not used after let. Preceded is the past participle, not appropriate in this construction. The sentence expresses allowing your mother to go ahead in line.

After the causative verb let, the following verb stays in its base form (the bare infinitive). So the correct choice is precede because it fits the pattern Let + someone + verb in base form: Let your mother precede you in the lunch line, meaning allow her to go in front of you.

The other forms don’t fit because they are conjugated or participial. Precedes is a present-tense form for he/she/it and would sound like Let your mother precedes you, which isn’t the structure after let. Preceding is the -ing form, not used after let. Preceded is the past participle, not appropriate in this construction. The sentence expresses allowing your mother to go ahead in line.