The workers could not move the heavy stone … they tried

Analyze the question

The sentence is: "The workers could not move the heavy stone ........... they tried." We need a word or phrase that links the two clauses and means "it didn't matter how much effort they made."

Explain the concept

"However + adjective/adverb" means "to whatever degree." For example, "However hard you study, you must also rest." It introduces a concession, meaning the result stays the same regardless of the effort.

Test each option

• A. how much: "...the heavy stone how much they tried" is ungrammatical. It needs "no matter" before it.
• B. as much: "...the heavy stone as much they tried" is incomplete. It would need "as much as they tried."
• C. no matter that: "no matter that they tried" does not work. "No matter" must be followed by a question word (how, what, who), not "that."
• D. however hard: "...the heavy stone however hard they tried" is grammatically correct and gives the right meaning: no matter how hard they tried, they still could not move it.

Correct answer: D. however hard

Full sentence: The workers could not move the heavy stone however hard they tried.

Tip

Remember the pattern "however + adjective/adverb + subject + verb" (however hard they tried, however fast he ran). Also, "no matter" must go with "how/what/who/where" (no matter how hard), never with "that." Both options with "much" in A and B are incomplete without a proper link, so eliminate them quickly.