Lesson eLearning

"I was reading a story when the door opened." Identify the tense used in the first clause.

hard MCQ 3 marks Class 5 · English · English Grammar - Tenses
  1. Simple past
  2. Past continuous
  3. Simple present
  4. Future continuous
Answer
Past continuous

The correct answer is Past continuous — Answer: Past continuous.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Look at the verb phrase in the clause: ‘was reading’.
  2. Notice the auxiliary verb ‘was’ plus the present participle ‘reading’.
  3. This combination indicates past continuous tense, expressing an action in progress in the past.
  4. Hence, the tense used is Past continuous.
  5. Answer: Past continuous.
Common mistake: Mistaking past continuous for simple past

Concept tested: Past continuous tense identification

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