CBSE Class 10 English Advanced Tense Very Short Answer Questions Set 01

Very Short Answer Questions

Question 1. Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb: Raman __________ in the ground since morning. (has been playing / is playing)
Answer:
has been playing
'Since morning' shows an action that began in the past and is still going on, so the present perfect continuous is needed.
In simple words: 'Since morning' means has been playing.

Teacher's Note:
1. Since or for with an action still going on gives the present perfect continuous.
2. 'is playing' ignores the long period.

Question 2. The stars __________ at night. (twinkles / twinkle)
Answer:
twinkle
'Stars' is plural and the sentence states a general fact, so the simple present 'twinkle' is used without -s.
In simple words: A plural subject takes the base form.

Teacher's Note:
1. Check whether the subject is plural before adding -s.
2. General facts take the simple present.

Question 3. We __________ the Taj Mahal last year. (visited / had visited)
Answer:
visited
'Last year' is a finished past time, so the simple past 'visited' is correct. The past perfect would need another past action.
In simple words: 'Last year' needs the simple past.

Teacher's Note:
1. A past time word like last year gives the simple past.
2. The past perfect always needs a second past action.

Question 4. My brother will go to watch a movie when his friend __________ . (will come / comes)
Answer:
comes
In a time clause that begins with 'when', the present tense stands for the future, so we say 'when his friend comes'.
In simple words: After 'when', use the present tense for the future.

Teacher's Note:
1. Do not use 'will' in the when-clause.
2. The main clause already shows the future.

Question 5. And still the little dog blinked at the lights and the conductor __________ to and fro on the pavement. (walked / walks)
Answer:
walked
The sentence narrates a past scene (the dog blinked), so the second verb is also in the simple past: 'walked'.
In simple words: Match the tense of the earlier verb 'blinked'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Look at the first verb to decide the tense of the second.
2. A story in the past keeps the same tense.

Question 6. You __________ the rule and broken its spirit. (have kept / keep)
Answer:
have kept
The sentence says that you have kept the rule, the result continuing to the present, and 'and broken' is also a past participle, so the present perfect 'have kept' matches it.
In simple words: 'Have kept ... and broken' are both past participles.

Teacher's Note:
1. Two joined verbs in a perfect tense share the helping verb.
2. 'keep' would not fit with 'broken'.

Question 7. My father had to __________ the whole thing from the beginning. (explained / explain)
Answer:
explain
'Had to' is followed by the base form of the verb.
In simple words: After 'had to', use the base form.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'To' + verb takes the base form.
2. Never use the past form after 'had to'.

Question 8. As the days passed, I __________ his shadow. (have become / became)
Answer:
became
'Passed' is in the simple past, so the other verb in the sentence is also in the simple past: 'became'.
In simple words: The tense follows 'passed': became.

Teacher's Note:
1. Join past events with past forms.
2. 'have become' would break the sequence.

Question 9. It __________ difficult to be a good parent and a good friend at the same time. (is / have been)
Answer:
is
The sentence states a general truth, so the simple present is used. 'It' is singular, and 'have been' does not agree with it.
In simple words: A general truth takes 'is'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'It' takes is, not have.
2. General statements are in the present.

Question 10. I continued __________ at that shoe store until it was time to leave for college. (to work / for woking)
Answer:
to work
'Continue' is followed by 'to + base form' (or the -ing form). 'for woking' is wrongly spelt and wrongly built.
In simple words: 'Continued to work' is the correct pattern.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Continue' takes to + verb or verb-ing.
2. Spot the spelling mistake in the wrong option.

Question 11. We __________ games in the evening everyday. (play / plays)
Answer:
play
'Everyday' shows a habit, which uses the simple present. 'We' is plural, so 'play' without -s is correct.
In simple words: A habit with 'we' takes the base form.

Teacher's Note:
1. Habit words: every day, always, usually.
2. -s goes only with a third person singular subject.

Question 12. She usually __________ at the back of the class. (sit / sits)
Answer:
sits
'Usually' shows a habit, so the simple present is used, and 'She' is third person singular, so -s is added.
In simple words: 'She' takes a verb with -s.

Teacher's Note:
1. Usually points to the simple present.
2. He, she and it take -s.

Question 13. The sun rises in the east and __________ in the west. (sets / set)
Answer:
sets
This is a universal fact in the simple present. The subject 'the sun' is singular, so 'sets' is correct.
In simple words: A fact about the sun takes 'sets'.

Teacher's Note:
1. The verb must match 'The sun rises ... and sets'.
2. Both verbs are singular.

Question 14. The students __________ cricket match on every Sunday. (play / plays)
Answer:
play
The students is plural, and 'on every Sunday' shows a habit, so the simple present 'play' is used.
In simple words: Plural subject: play.

Teacher's Note:
1. Check the subject: students is plural.
2. 'Every Sunday' is a habit marker.

Question 15. An honest person usually __________ the truth. (speak / speaks)
Answer:
speaks
'An honest person' is singular and 'usually' shows a habit, so 'speaks' is used.
In simple words: A singular subject takes 'speaks'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Write 's' for a singular subject in the simple present.
2. 'Usually' marks a habit.

Question 16. I __________ my lunch before my friend comes to my house. (will have taken / will took)
Answer:
will have taken
The action will be finished before another future event ('comes'), so the future perfect 'will have taken' is used. 'will took' is wrongly formed.
In simple words: One future action before another: future perfect.

Teacher's Note:
1. Before + present clause often goes with the future perfect.
2. After 'will', never use the past form.

Question 17. That fool always __________ a mistake. (make / makes)
Answer:
makes
'Always' marks a habit, and 'That fool' is singular, so 'makes' is correct.
In simple words: Singular subject: makes.

Teacher's Note:
1. Always = simple present.
2. Add -s for he, she, it.

Question 18. The baby __________ hungry since morning. (has been / has being)
Answer:
has been
'Since morning' needs the present perfect, and the correct form of 'be' is 'has been'. 'has being' is not a valid verb form.
In simple words: 'Has been' is correct with 'since'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Be - was - been.
2. 'Being' needs 'is' or 'was' before it.

Question 19. I __________ in London for six years. (have been / has been)
Answer:
have been
'For six years' shows a period up to now, so the present perfect is used, and with 'I' the helping verb is 'have'. The book's key is 'have been living', which has the same meaning; the options offered are 'have been' and 'has been'.
In simple words: 'I' takes 'have been'.

Teacher's Note:
1. The printed key adds 'living', but the choice in the question is 'have been'.
2. I, you, we and they take have.

Teacher's Note:
1. Read the whole passage once to fix the tense.
2. After 'to', always use the base form.

Teacher's Note:
1. Find the line where the verb has no helping verb.
2. Choose between is/are and was/were from the subject and the time of the sentence.

Teacher's Note:
1. Decide first whether the verb is active or passive.
2. After a preposition such as 'before', use the -ing form.

Teacher's Note:
1. Read each line aloud and listen for the place where a verb is missing.
2. The subject and the time of the sentence decide between is/are and was/were.