SSC CGL Exam  >  SSC CGL Questions  >  Complete the sentence using the past perfect ... Start Learning for Free
Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."
  • a)
    had been climbing
  • b)
    have been climbing
  • c)
    were climbing
  • d)
    are climbing
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the...
Option A: "had been climbing" is the correct answer, completing the sentence as "By the time they reached the summit, they had been climbing for over eight hours." This correctly uses the past perfect continuous tense to express that the action of climbing had been ongoing for a duration before reaching the summit.
View all questions of this test
Most Upvoted Answer
Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the...
Understanding the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense is used to express an action that was ongoing in the past before another action took place. In this sentence, "By the time they reached the summit," indicates that reaching the summit is the second action.
Explanation of the Correct Answer: Option A
- The correct option is a) had been climbing.
- This form indicates that the action of climbing started before they reached the summit and continued for a duration of time.
Why Other Options are Incorrect
- b) have been climbing
- This tense is present perfect continuous and is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Since the context is about the past, this option is not suitable.
- c) were climbing
- This is the past continuous tense, indicating an action that was happening at a specific moment in the past. It does not convey the duration leading up to another past event.
- d) are climbing
- This is present continuous, which describes an action currently happening. It does not fit the context since the sentence describes events in the past.
Conclusion
Using "had been climbing" effectively conveys that the climbing was a prolonged activity completed before reaching the summit. This tense captures both the duration and relationship of the actions clearly, making it the best choice for this sentence.
Explore Courses for SSC CGL exam

Top Courses for SSC CGL

Question Description
Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for SSC CGL 2025 is part of SSC CGL preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the SSC CGL exam syllabus. Information about Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for SSC CGL 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for SSC CGL. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for SSC CGL Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Complete the sentence using the past perfect continuous tense: "By the time they reached the summit, they__________ for over eight hours."a)had been climbingb)have been climbingc)were climbingd)are climbingCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice SSC CGL tests.
Explore Courses for SSC CGL exam

Top Courses for SSC CGL

Explore Courses
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev