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All questions of Past Continuous/Progressive Tense for CLAT Exam

Choose the correct sentence:
  • a)
    He are going to the store when I saw him.
  • b)
    He go to the store when I saw him.
  • c)
    He was going to the store when I saw him.
  • d)
    He goes to the store when I saw him.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Abhiram Mehra answered
Understanding the Correct Sentence
The correct sentence among the options provided is:
c) He was going to the store when I saw him.
Reasons for Correctness:
- Tense Consistency:
- The sentence uses the past continuous tense ("was going"), which is appropriate here because it indicates an ongoing action in the past.
- The phrase "when I saw him" is in the simple past tense, which fits well with the continuous action described.
- Contextual Clarity:
- The sentence clearly conveys that at the moment the speaker saw the person, that person was in the process of going to the store.
- This structure helps establish a clear timeline of events.
Reasons for Incorrectness of Other Options:
- Option a: "He are going to the store when I saw him."
- Incorrect verb form: "are" should be "is" or "was".
- Option b: "He go to the store when I saw him."
- Incorrect verb tense: "go" should be "was going" to match the past context.
- Option d: "He goes to the store when I saw him."
- Incorrect tense: "goes" is present tense and does not align with the past action of "saw".
Conclusion:
In summary, option c accurately reflects the proper use of verb tenses, making it the only grammatically correct choice among the options presented. Understanding these nuances is crucial for effective communication, especially in formal contexts like the SSC CGL exam.

Choose the correct form of the verb: "He __________ a book when I called him."
  • a)
    read
  • b)
    reads
  • c)
    was reading
  • d)
    were reading
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Iq Funda answered
The correct form is "He was reading a book when I called him." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'was' is used with singular subjects, followed by the '-ing' form of the verb. This tense is often used to describe an ongoing action in the past that was interrupted.

Find the sentence where past continuous tense is used incorrectly.
  • a)
    They were studying all night.
  • b)
    I was eating when she called.
  • c)
    We was walking in the park.
  • d)
    She was reading a novel.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Malavika Rane answered
Incorrect Usage of Past Continuous Tense:

Explanation:
The sentence "We was walking in the park" contains an error in the past continuous tense. The correct form should be "We were walking in the park." Here's why:

Past Continuous Tense:
- The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past at a specific point in time.
- It is formed with the past tense of the verb "to be" (was/were) and the present participle of the main verb (-ing form).

Correcting the Sentence:
- The subject "we" requires the past tense of the verb "to be," which is "were."
- Therefore, the correct sentence should be "We were walking in the park."

Importance of Correct Tense Usage:
- Using the correct tense is crucial for clear communication and to convey the timing of events accurately.
- Incorrect usage can lead to confusion and misunderstanding in written or spoken language.
In conclusion, the sentence "We was walking in the park" is incorrect as it uses the past continuous tense incorrectly. The correct form should be "We were walking in the park" to accurately convey the ongoing action in the past.

Choose the correctly formed question:
  • a)
    Was she studying for her exam yesterday?
  • b)
    Does she studying for her exam yesterday?
  • c)
    Were she studying for her exam yesterday?
  • d)
    Is she studying for her exam yesterday?
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Abhiram Mehra answered
Correctly Formed Question Explanation:

Analysis of Options:
- Option a) "Was she studying for her exam yesterday?" correctly uses the past tense form "was" with the past participle "studying."
- Option b) "Does she studying for her exam yesterday?" is incorrect as it uses the present tense form "does" with the base form "studying."
- Option c) "Were she studying for her exam yesterday?" is incorrect as it should be "Was she studying" instead of "Were she studying."
- Option d) "Is she studying for her exam yesterday?" is incorrect as it uses the present tense form "is" with the past time reference "yesterday."

Conclusion:
The correctly formed question is option a) "Was she studying for her exam yesterday?" as it follows the correct structure of a past tense question.

Identify the correct past continuous tense sentence involving an interruption.
  • a)
    I was studying when the phone rang.
  • b)
    She was eat dinner when he arrived.
  • c)
    They was watching a movie when the power went out.
  • d)
    He were playing the guitar when she called.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Ishaan Roy answered
Understanding Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific point in the past. It often provides context for another action that interrupts it. The structure includes "was" or "were" followed by the present participle (verb+ing).
Correct Sentence Analysis
- Option A: I was studying when the phone rang.
- This sentence correctly uses the past continuous tense ("was studying") to indicate an ongoing action (studying) that was interrupted by another action ("the phone rang").
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- Option B: She was eat dinner when he arrived.
- Incorrect because "eat" should be "eating" to form the correct present participle.
- Option C: They was watching a movie when the power went out.
- Incorrect due to the improper form of "was." It should be "were" to agree with the plural subject "they."
- Option D: He were playing the guitar when she called.
- Incorrect because "were" should be "was" to match the singular subject "he."
Conclusion
In summary, option A is the only grammatically correct sentence utilizing the past continuous tense to effectively convey an interrupted action. Understanding the structure and usage of this tense is essential for clear communication in English.

Choose the sentence that does NOT use the past continuous tense.
  • a)
    Were they cooking when you called?
  • b)
    He was working on the project.
  • c)
    She sang at the concert last night.
  • d)
    We were playing chess.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Abhiram Mehra answered
Explanation:

Past Continuous Tense:
- The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past at a specific moment or during a specific period of time.

Identifying the Sentence:
- The sentence that does NOT use the past continuous tense is:
- "She sang at the concert last night."

Explanation:
- In this sentence, the verb "sang" is in the simple past tense, not the past continuous tense.
- The simple past tense is used to describe completed actions in the past, while the past continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions in the past.

Other Sentences:
- The other sentences ("Were they cooking when you called?", "He was working on the project", "We were playing chess") all use the past continuous tense correctly to describe ongoing actions in the past.
Therefore, the sentence "She sang at the concert last night." does not use the past continuous tense.

Find the sentence where the past continuous tense is incorrectly used with 'while.'
  • a)
    He was writing while she was reading.
  • b)
    While they were singing, we were dancing.
  • c)
    While she were cooking, I was cleaning.
  • d)
    I was watching TV while my brother was studying.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Understanding the Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific point in the past. It is formed using "was/were" + verb-ing. The use of "while" indicates that two actions were happening simultaneously in the past.
Identifying the Incorrect Usage
Among the options provided, option 'C' contains an incorrect form of the past continuous tense:
- c) While she were cooking, I was cleaning.
Why is Option 'C' Incorrect?
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject "she" requires the auxiliary verb "was" instead of "were." The correct structure should be "While she was cooking."
- Correct Form: The sentence should read, "While she was cooking, I was cleaning." This maintains proper subject-verb agreement and adheres to the rules of the past continuous tense.
Examples of Correct Usage
- a) He was writing while she was reading. (Correct)
- b) While they were singing, we were dancing. (Correct)
- d) I was watching TV while my brother was studying. (Correct)
Each of these sentences correctly uses "was" for singular subjects and "were" for plural subjects, illustrating the correct application of the past continuous tense.
Conclusion
In summary, option 'C' is incorrect due to the misuse of the auxiliary verb "were" instead of "was." Understanding subject-verb agreement is crucial for proper tense usage in English.

Find the correct sentence:
  • a)
    We was eating dinner when the phone rang.
  • b)
    We were eating dinner when the phone rang.
  • c)
    We is eating dinner when the phone rang.
  • d)
    We are eating dinner when the phone rang.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Arnav Saini answered
Explanation:

Subject-Verb Agreement:
- The correct sentence is "We were eating dinner when the phone rang."
- In this sentence, the subject "We" is plural and the verb "were" agrees with the plural subject.

Incorrect Options:
- Option 'a' is incorrect because "was" does not agree with the plural subject "We."
- Option 'c' is incorrect because "is" does not agree with the past tense context of the sentence.
- Option 'd' is incorrect because "are" does not agree with the past tense context of the sentence.

Conclusion:
- It is important to ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in terms of number (singular or plural) and tense (past, present, future) to maintain grammatical correctness.

Find the error in the sentence: "The teacher were explaining the concept when the bell rang."
  • a)
    The teacher
  • b)
    were
  • c)
    explaining
  • d)
    when the bell rang
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Iq Funda answered
The error is in "were". The correct form is "was" as in "The teacher was explaining the concept when the bell rang." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'was' is used with singular subjects. This tense is often used to describe actions that were in progress when another action occurred.

Which sentence correctly uses the past continuous tense?
  • a)
    I was reading a book when he called.
  • b)
    I read a book when he calls.
  • c)
    I am reading a book when he called.
  • d)
    I have read a book when he was calling.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

The correct form of the past continuous tense is "was/were + present participle (verb-ing)." Option A correctly uses this format to describe an action (reading a book) that was happening when another action occurred (he called). The other options either use the wrong tense or the wrong time reference.

Identify the sentence that correctly uses past continuous tense to express a parallel action.
  • a)
    She was singing and he was playing the guitar.
  • b)
    I was studying while my sister slept.
  • c)
    They were eating and we talked.
  • d)
    He was running and she was cycling.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Arnav Saini answered
Explanation:

Past Continuous Tense:
- The past continuous tense is used to indicate an ongoing action that was happening at a specific point in the past.

Correct Answer Analysis:
- The sentence "He was running and she was cycling" correctly uses the past continuous tense to express parallel actions.
- In this sentence, both actions (running and cycling) were happening simultaneously in the past.

Incorrect Options Analysis:
a) Incorrect - "She was singing and he was playing the guitar" does not express parallel actions as the actions are not happening simultaneously.
b) Incorrect - "I was studying while my sister slept" does not express parallel actions as the actions are not happening simultaneously.
c) Incorrect - "They were eating and we talked" does not express parallel actions as the actions are not happening simultaneously.

Identify the sentence that correctly uses the past continuous tense in a negative form.
  • a)
    They weren't playing soccer yesterday.
  • b)
    She was not reading a book.
  • c)
    He wasn't cooking dinner.
  • d)
    All of the above.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

G.K Academy answered
All options correctly use the past continuous tense in a negative form. 'Wasn't' and 'weren't' are appropriately used with the verb-ing form to indicate actions that were not happening in the past.

Choose the correct negative form: "She
______
___ watching the show last night."
  • a)
    wasn't
  • b)
    weren't
  • c)
    not
  • d)
    doesn't
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

The correct form is "She wasn't watching the show last night." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'was not' (wasn't) is used for negative sentences with singular subjects.

Identify the error in the sentence: "They were not understands the instructions."
  • a)
    They
  • b)
    were not
  • c)
    understands
  • d)
    the instructions
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

The error lies in "understands". The correct form should be "understanding" as in "They were not understanding the instructions." After 'were not', the '-ing' form of the verb is used in the Past Continuous Tense.

Choose the correctly formed question:
  • a)
    Were they cooking dinner when you arrived?
  • b)
    Was they cooking dinner when you arrived?
  • c)
    Do they cooking dinner when you arrived?
  • d)
    Is they cooking dinner when you arrived?
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

EduRev SSC CGL answered
The correct form is "Were they cooking dinner when you arrived?" In questions with the Past Continuous Tense, the verb 'to be' (was/were) precedes the subject, followed by the '-ing' form of the main verb.

Complete the sentence: "What ___ you doing at 8 PM yesterday?"
  • a)
    was
  • b)
    were
  • c)
    is
  • d)
    are
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Iq Funda answered
The correct completion is "What were you doing at 8 PM yesterday?" In the Past Continuous Tense, 'were' is used with 'you', 'we', and 'they', followed by the '-ing' form of the verb. This tense is often used for asking about past actions at a specific time.

Identify the incorrect usage of past continuous tense.
  • a)
    She was singing beautifully.
  • b)
    They were not playing football.
  • c)
    Were you watching TV last night?
  • d)
    He were studying for his exams.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

G.K Academy answered
Option D is incorrect because the past continuous tense for 'he' should be 'was studying,' not 'were studying.' The past continuous tense is formed using 'was' for singular subjects and 'were' for plural subjects.

Identify the sentence where the past continuous tense is used for two simultaneous actions.
  • a)
    I was reading while he was cooking.
  • b)
    She was sleeping before they arrived.
  • c)
    They were eating after we left.
  • d)
    He was study when it started to rain.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Option A correctly uses the past continuous tense ('was reading' and 'was cooking') to indicate two actions happening at the same time. The other options do not show simultaneous actions in the past continuous tense.

Complete the sentence: "At 10 AM yesterday, the children
________
___ in the park."
  • a)
    was playing
  • b)
    were playing
  • c)
    is playing
  • d)
    are playing
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

The correct completion is "At 10 AM yesterday, the children were playing in the park." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'were' is used with plural subjects, followed by the '-ing' form of the verb. This tense is used to depict ongoing activities at a specific past time.

Select the appropriate verb form: "You
________
___ watching television all evening."
  • a)
    was
  • b)
    were
  • c)
    is
  • d)
    are
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Iq Funda answered
The correct answer is "You were watching television all evening." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'were' is used with the second person singular and plural (you), followed by the '-ing' form of the verb.

Select the appropriate verb form: "I
________
___ watching TV when you called."
  • a)
    was
  • b)
    were
  • c)
    am
  • d)
    be
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

The correct answer is "I was watching TV when you called." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'was' is used with the first-person singular subject 'I'.

Which sentence incorrectly forms a question in the past continuous tense?
  • a)
    Were you sleeping when I called?
  • b)
    Was she cooking dinner last night?
  • c)
    What were they doing at the party?
  • d)
    Was watching TV when I arrived?
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Option D is incorrect because the subject is missing. The correct formation should be, "Were you watching TV when I arrived?" The past continuous tense in question form follows the structure 'Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?'

Identify the error in the sentence: "He was not understand the question."
  • a)
    He
  • b)
    was not
  • c)
    understand
  • d)
    the question
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

The error lies in "understand". The correct form should be "understanding" as in "He was not understanding the question." After 'was not', the '-ing' form of the verb is used in the Past Continuous Tense.

Find the error in the sentence: "She were running in the park at that time."
  • a)
    She
  • b)
    were
  • c)
    running
  • d)
    at that time
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

The error is in "were". The correct form is "was" as in "She was running in the park at that time." In the Past Continuous Tense, 'was' is used with singular third-person subjects.

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