The student complained that he … the teacher.

Analyze the question The sentence is: "The student complained that he __ the teacher." The key is the verb "complained," which is in the past tense. This is reported (indirect) speech, so the tense of the verb in the clause that follows must agree with it.

Explain the concept: sequence of tenses When the reporting verb is in the past tense (complained, said, told), the verb in the reported clause usually shifts backward in time:

• present simple → past simple
• present continuous → past continuous
• can → could

The student's original words were probably: "I cannot hear the teacher." In reported speech, "cannot" becomes "could not."

Check each option

• A. was not hearing: Grammatically it is past continuous, but "hear" is a stative verb (a verb of perception) and is not normally used in continuous forms. We say "could not hear," not "was not hearing."
• B. could not hear: The past tense agrees with "complained," and "could" is the correct way to express the ability to perceive a sound. ✔
• C. does not hear: Present tense, which clashes with the past-tense "complained."
• D. is not hearing: Present continuous, which has the same tense clash, and is also an unnatural use of "hear."

Answer: B. could not hear

Tip: In reported speech, look at the main verb first. If it is past (complained, said, explained), the verb that follows should also be past. Also remember that verbs like hear, see, know, understand, and believe are rarely used in continuous tenses. Use "can/could" with them instead.