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Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuous tense.
  • a)
    Before the rain started, the children had been playing outside.
  • b)
    He had been working in the office since morning.
  • c)
    They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.
  • d)
    She had been studying for the exam for several hours.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuou...
The incorrect usage is in Option C: "They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived." The correct tense should be "had been waiting" to use the past perfect continuous tense. The sentence needs to express an ongoing action in the past (waiting for the bus) that continued up to another past event (the bus's arrival). The other options correctly use the past perfect continuous tense.
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Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuou...
Incorrect Sentence:

C) They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.

Explanation:

The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past, continued up until another point in the past, and may still have some relevance in the present. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had been" followed by the present participle of the main verb (-ing form).

In the given sentence, "They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived," the use of the present perfect continuous tense is incorrect. Here's why:

1. Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past, continued up until the present moment, and may still be ongoing. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "have been" followed by the present participle of the main verb (-ing form).

Example: They have been waiting for the bus for an hour. (Correct use of present perfect continuous tense)

2. Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past, continued up until another point in the past, and may still have some relevance in the present. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had been" followed by the present participle of the main verb (-ing form).

Example: They had been waiting for the bus for an hour before it finally arrived. (Correct use of past perfect continuous tense)

3. Incorrect Use:
In sentence C, the present perfect continuous tense "have been waiting" is used instead of the past perfect continuous tense "had been waiting." This creates a grammatical inconsistency because the action of waiting for the bus should be completed before the bus finally arrived.

Therefore, the correct sentence should be: They had been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.
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Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuous tense.a)Before the rain started, the children had been playing outside.b)He had been working in the office since morning.c)They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.d)She had been studying for the exam for several hours.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuous tense.a)Before the rain started, the children had been playing outside.b)He had been working in the office since morning.c)They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.d)She had been studying for the exam for several hours.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for SSC CGL 2024 is part of SSC CGL preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the SSC CGL exam syllabus. Information about Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuous tense.a)Before the rain started, the children had been playing outside.b)He had been working in the office since morning.c)They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.d)She had been studying for the exam for several hours.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for SSC CGL 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses the past perfect continuous tense.a)Before the rain started, the children had been playing outside.b)He had been working in the office since morning.c)They have been waiting for the bus when it finally arrived.d)She had been studying for the exam for several hours.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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