National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Business Practice Exam

Which sentence correctly uses grammar?

1. She missed the meeting because she laid in bed with the flu.

2. Ann missed the meeting because she was lying in bed with the flu.

3. Ann missed the meeting because she lay in bed with the flu.

4. She missed the meeting due to being in bed with the flu.

The correct answer is: Ann missed the meeting because she was lying in bed with the flu.

The sentence that accurately employs grammar is the one that states, "Ann missed the meeting because she was lying in bed with the flu." This construction is correct because it uses the past continuous tense "was lying," which indicates that the action of lying in bed was ongoing at the time she missed the meeting. This accurately reflects a situation where she was incapacitated due to illness, maintaining clarity and coherence in the timeline of events. Additionally, using "was lying" appropriately connects the action to her reason for missing the meeting, providing a clearer understanding of the context. The continuous form emphasizes that lying in bed was not a completed action but rather a state she was experiencing while missing the meeting. This clarity is essential in effectively communicating the circumstances surrounding her absence. The other options contain grammatical inaccuracies that may confuse the reader or distort the intended meaning.