My cousin had a terrible experience _____ she was working for a big advertising agency.

My cousin had a terrible experience _____ she was working for a big advertising agency.

• A. When
• B. How
• C. Where
• D. Which

Answer: (A)

You’re looking for a word that sets the timing of the event described. When fits perfectly because it introduces a time clause: “when she was working for a big advertising agency,” telling us when the terrible experience occurred. The other options don’t work here for this structure. How would refer to the manner or way something happened, which changes the meaning. Where would point to a place, which isn’t what’s being asked about. Which is a relative pronoun that needs a different kind of link to the noun, and in this sentence it would require a fuller clause like “the experience in which she was working” to be grammatical. So the natural, correct choice is the one that marks time.

You’re looking for a word that sets the timing of the event described. When fits perfectly because it introduces a time clause: “when she was working for a big advertising agency,” telling us when the terrible experience occurred.

The other options don’t work here for this structure. How would refer to the manner or way something happened, which changes the meaning. Where would point to a place, which isn’t what’s being asked about. Which is a relative pronoun that needs a different kind of link to the noun, and in this sentence it would require a fuller clause like “the experience in which she was working” to be grammatical. So the natural, correct choice is the one that marks time.