Brimstone, by Robert B. Parker, c.2009. Chapter 7 WE TOOK ALLIE TO BREAKFAST in the cook tent. With her dress washed and her hair combed, she looked a little better than she ___ when we dragged her out of the Barbary Coast Cafe'. But she didn't look good. <end of paragraph> Grammarians, Which word should fill the blank in the quote above, had or did? ("looked" is an obvious possibility but Parker didn't use it.) What rule applies to the choice and/or what is the explanation you might give a student for the choice? .brad.08nov09. To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/