Here's a question that I have just been asked by a Chinese colleague. She wants to know the best answer to this exam question.
The master ordered the dinner __________ (serve) at once.
The problem is that I can think of multiple answers "served", "be served", "to be served" and that's before we even consider forms with modal auxiliaries. What form would you suggest is right. Personally, because of the "at once", I favour "be served". Remember in the minds of the examiners there can only be one right answer.

I would think that "to be served" has the best shot, but I can't read the Chinese mind. I find the given sentence awkward. "...that the dinner_______" works better for me. Is the person(s) who prepare the test a native English speaker?

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff:
Is the person(s) who prepare the test a native English speaker?

No. They never are. The test papers are prepared and distributed nationally by Chinese officials. And that's why they ALWAYS contain this kind of problem. My thought was "be served" because "to be be served" sounds a bit Downton-Abbeyish to me.

I hope those Chinese officials watched Downton Abbey!

They probably did. For reasons that escape me it is very popular over here.

Hmm. I agree "to be served" sounds stilted. Of course it might have been one of those BBC series butlers speaking hoity-toitily to his underlings.

But I would only say "be served" in this sentence: "The master ordered that dinner be served at once."

bethree5 - I agree completely but the question didn't have the word "that" so it isn't an option.

"To be served" doesn't sound stilted to me. That's what I'd suggest. "Be served" or "served" sound they they are missing something, to me.