The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is escondió.
The sentence to complete is “La maestra ______ el mapa,” which translates to “The teacher ______ the map.” To solve this, we must find the correct conjugation of the verb that matches the subject, “La maestra.”
The subject “La maestra” (The teacher) is a third-person singular noun. In Spanish, this corresponds to the pronouns “ella” (she) or “él” (he), or “usted” (formal you). Since “maestra” is feminine, it aligns with “ella.” Therefore, the verb in the blank must be conjugated in the third-person singular form.
Let’s analyze the given options, which are all forms of the verb “esconder” (to hide):
- esconder: This is the infinitive form of the verb, meaning “to hide.” Infinitives are not conjugated and cannot function as the main verb of a sentence. Using it would result in the grammatically incorrect sentence “The teacher to hide the map.”
- escondió: This is the third-person singular (él/ella/usted) preterite tense conjugation of “esconder.” The preterite tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. Since “La maestra” is a third-person singular subject, this form is a perfect grammatical fit. The completed sentence “La maestra escondió el mapa” translates to “The teacher hid the map,” which is a correct and logical statement.
- escondiste: This is the second-person singular informal (“tú”) preterite conjugation. It would be used in a sentence like “Tú escondiste el mapa” (You hid the map). This does not agree with the third-person subject “La maestra.”
- escondimos: This is the first-person plural (“nosotros/nosotras”) preterite conjugation. It means “we hid.” This form is used when the subject is “we,” for example, “Nosotros escondimos el mapa” (We hid the map). It does not match the singular subject “La maestra.”
In conclusion, the only option that correctly agrees with the subject “La maestra” is “escondió,” making it the best word to complete the sentence.
