Complete the sentence: Poly ran fast lest she _ miss the class.

Correct Answer: (D) should The conjunction "lest" has a very specific grammatical rule that frequently appears in NTRCA exams. Rule for "Lest": — "Lest" means "so that...not" or "for fear that" — After "lest," we ALWAYS use "should" (in all persons) — Structure: Subject + Verb + lest + Subject + should + base verb Application: "Poly ran fast lest she should miss the class." Meaning: Poly ran fast so that she would not miss the class. More Examples: — "Work hard lest you should fail." — "Be careful lest you should fall." — "He came early lest he should miss the bus." Why others are wrong: ✗ could — not used after "lest" ✗ would — not used after "lest" ✗ can — not used after "lest"; also present tense mismatch Common Exam Trick: "Lest" always takes "should" regardless of the tense of the main verb. This is a fixed grammatical rule. Source: Advanced English Grammar; Wren & Martin; NTRCA Question Bank.