Es improbable que ________ de la oficina antes de las 5.

Question

The choices include c) salgan and d) hayan salido.  Aren't both of these subjunctive? The correct answer was c), salgan. I read through the lesson fairly thoroughly and don't see why hayan salido would not be correct as well. What am I missing? Thanks!

Accepted Answer

Hola Connie
They are both subjunctive, you're right. But if you look at what the translation says:
It is unlikely that they will leave the office before 5.
we are expressing a future event here; the option "hayan salido" would express a past event, as if saying "it's unlikely that they left/have left the office before 5."
I hope it clarified it.
Saludos