CBSE Class 10 English Tense MCQs Set 02

Answer: (b) were

Explanation:
1. 'Last week' fixes the time in the past, so a past form of 'be' is needed.
2. The subject 'you' always takes 'were', never 'was'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'You' takes 'were' even when it refers to one person.
2. 'Do/did' cannot stand alone here as there is no main verb.

Answer: (d) am sipping

Explanation:
1. 'Always' describes a habit, but 'but today' marks a change happening now.
2. An action in progress at the moment of speaking takes the present continuous: am sipping.

Teacher's Note:
1. Contrast words like 'but today' often signal a temporary present action.
2. Habits take simple present; actions happening now take present continuous.

Answer: (a) doesn't

Explanation:
1. 'Who' as a subject is treated as third person singular.
2. With the base verb 'know' in the present, the auxiliary is 'doesn't'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Question-word subjects like 'who' take singular verbs.
2. 'Hasn't/hadn't' would need 'known', not 'know'.

Answer: (d) all of these

Explanation:
1. 'For four years' shows a period of time, which goes with perfect or perfect continuous tenses.
2. 'Has lived' and 'has been living' suit the present; 'had been living' suits a past reference point. All are grammatical.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'For' + period of time pairs with perfect tenses.
2. Without a time reference, the context decides between present and past perfect.

Answer: (b) liked

Explanation:
1. The main verb 'asked' is in the past tense.
2. A present-tense idea in the reported clause shifts back to the simple past: liked.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past reporting verbs pull the reported verb into the past.
2. This rule of sequence of tenses is tested often in reported speech.

Answer: (b) was reading

Explanation:
1. 'When I went' sets a moment in the past.
2. An action in progress at that past moment takes the past continuous: was reading.

Teacher's Note:
1. A short past action often interrupts a longer one in the past continuous.
2. 'Is reading' cannot follow a past time clause.

Answer: (d) rises

Explanation:
1. This is a universal truth.
2. Universal truths always take the simple present: rises.

Teacher's Note:
1. Facts of nature are written in the simple present.
2. Continuous forms suggest a temporary action, which does not fit here.

Answer: (a) likes

Explanation:
1. 'No one' is singular and the sentence states a general truth.
2. A general statement takes the simple present with -s: likes.

Teacher's Note:
1. Indefinite pronouns like 'no one' take singular verbs.
2. 'Liking' alone cannot be the main verb of a sentence.

Answer: (a) went

Explanation:
1. 'Had finished' is past perfect, the earlier of two past actions.
2. The later past action takes the simple past: went.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past perfect marks the earlier action; simple past marks the later one.
2. Using past perfect for both actions hides their order.

Answer: (d) would have passed

Explanation:
1. 'If he had worked' is a past unreal condition (third conditional).
2. Its result clause takes would + have + past participle.

Teacher's Note:
1. Third conditional: if + had + V3, would have + V3.
2. It talks about something that did not happen in the past.

Answer: (a) will not help

Explanation:
1. The sentence expresses a future decision.
2. 'Will' is always followed by the base form: will not help.

Teacher's Note:
1. Never use a past form after 'will'.
2. 'Helping' or 'to help' cannot work as the main verb alone.

Answer: (c) preparing

Explanation:
1. 'Is' + 'now' shows an action in progress.
2. Present continuous = is/am/are + verb-ing: is preparing.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Now' is a key signal word for the present continuous.
2. 'Is prepared' would change the meaning to passive.

Answer: (b) plays

Explanation:
1. 'Usually' shows a habit.
2. Habits take the simple present; 'my brother' is singular, so 'plays'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Adverbs like usually, always, often signal the simple present.
2. Third person singular subjects add -s to the verb.

Answer: (c) had walked

Explanation:
1. 'By yesterday evening' sets a past deadline.
2. An action completed before a past point takes the past perfect: had walked.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'By + past time' is a strong signal for the past perfect.
2. 'Has walked' cannot be used with a past time like 'yesterday'.

Answer: (b) had worked

Explanation:
1. 'Would have passed' shows a third conditional.
2. The if-clause therefore takes had + past participle: had worked.

Teacher's Note:
1. In the third conditional, both clauses look back to the past.
2. Match 'would have' in the result with 'had + V3' in the if-clause.

Answer: (b) had

Explanation:
1. 'Yesterday' shows a finished past time.
2. The simple past of 'have' is 'had'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past time adverbs need the simple past.
2. 'Has' never goes with 'I'.

Answer: (b) revolves

Explanation:
1. This is a scientific fact.
2. Facts take the simple present; 'the earth' is singular, so 'revolves'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Universal truths stay in the simple present.
2. Remember the -s ending with singular subjects.

Answer: (c) sets

Explanation:
1. This is a universal truth.
2. Simple present with singular subject: sets.

Teacher's Note:
1. Truths of nature are always in the simple present.
2. 'Was set' is passive and changes the meaning.

Answer: (c) writing

Explanation:
1. 'Is' before the blank shows a continuous form is needed.
2. Present continuous = is + verb-ing: is writing.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Is written' would make it passive: the novel is written.
2. Check the helping verb before choosing the verb form.

Answer: (c) writing

Explanation:
1. 'Was not' + active meaning gives the past continuous.
2. Past continuous = was + verb-ing: was not writing.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Was written' would need the letter as the subject.
2. Negatives keep 'not' between the helping verb and the -ing form.

Answer: (b) had left

Explanation:
1. 'Before I called' shows two past actions.
2. The earlier action takes the past perfect: had left.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past perfect marks the earlier of two past events.
2. 'Has left' cannot be used with a past reference.

Answer: (c) shines

Explanation:
1. This is a universal truth.
2. Universal truths take the simple present: shines.

Teacher's Note:
1. Facts of nature are written in the simple present.
2. Singular 'sun' takes -s.

Answer: (b) has been attending

Explanation:
1. 'Since last June' shows an action that began in the past and continues.
2. Present perfect continuous with singular 'she': has been attending.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Since' + point of time goes with perfect tenses.
2. 'Have' does not agree with 'she'.

Answer: (c) will receive

Explanation:
1. 'Tomorrow' shows future time.
2. Simple future: will receive.

Teacher's Note:
1. Future time adverbs need will + base verb.
2. 'Received' is past and clashes with 'tomorrow'.

Answer: (b) was reading

Explanation:
1. 'When Santosh came in' interrupts an action in progress.
2. The longer action takes the past continuous: was reading.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past continuous + simple past shows an interrupted action.
2. 'Reading' alone cannot be the main verb.

Answer: (b) might have

Explanation:
1. 'If ... had left' is a past unreal condition.
2. Result clause: would/could/might + have + V3: might have reached.

Teacher's Note:
1. Third conditional: if + had + V3, would/might have + V3.
2. 'May have' is used for real possibilities, not unreal ones.

Answer: (d) have completed

Explanation:
1. 'By the next month' marks an action completed before a future point.
2. Future perfect = shall/will + have + past participle.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'By + future time' is a strong signal for the future perfect.
2. After 'shall', the base form 'have' is used, never 'has'.

Answer: (d) had done

Explanation:
1. The main clause is in the past ('was joking').
2. His earlier jokes happened before that past moment, so the past perfect 'had done' fits.

Teacher's Note:
1. Use the past perfect for the earlier of two past actions.
2. 'Many times before' + a past main clause points to 'had + V3'.

Answer: (b) had given

Explanation:
1. Jessie's not taking the advice is in the simple past.
2. The advice was given before that, so the past perfect 'had given' is needed.

Teacher's Note:
1. Two past actions: the earlier one takes 'had + V3'.
2. Present perfect cannot be paired with a finished past narrative here.

Answer: (b) When I woke up, he had already eaten breakfast.

Explanation:
1. Waking up is the later past action (simple past).
2. Eating breakfast happened earlier, so it takes the past perfect 'had eaten'.
3. 'Ate' can never follow 'had'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Simple past + past perfect is the standard pairing for two past events.
2. Remind students: had + V3 (eaten), never had + V2 (ate).

Answer: (a) They shall have arrived by then.

Explanation:
1. Future perfect = shall/will + have + past participle.
2. Only 'shall have arrived' has this form; the others are future continuous, simple future and future perfect continuous.

Teacher's Note:
1. Learn the four future forms side by side with one verb.
2. Look for 'have + V3' without 'been' for the future perfect.

Answer: (a) have been

Explanation:
1. The second verb 'have just finished' is in the present perfect, so the time frame is the present.
2. An action that lasted all afternoon up to now takes the present perfect continuous 'have been working'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Keep tenses consistent within one sentence.
2. 'Had been' would need another past event as a reference point.

Answer: (c) had watched

Explanation:
1. Reading the review is the later past action.
2. Watching the movie came first, so it takes the past perfect 'had watched'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Before' joining two past actions often calls for the past perfect.
2. 'Have watched' does not agree with 'Rohan' and is the wrong tense.

Answer: (c) has been exercising

Explanation:
1. 'For a year now' shows an action that began in the past and still continues.
2. With the singular subject 'he', the form is 'has been exercising'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'For + period' and 'since + point' with 'now' signal the present perfect continuous.
2. Check subject agreement: he has, they have.

Answer: (b) has been living

Explanation:
1. He started living there in the past and still lives there.
2. The singular subject 'he' takes 'has', giving 'has been living'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Present perfect continuous links a past start to the present.
2. 'Living' alone is not a finite verb.

Answer: (b) have been reading

Explanation:
1. 'Since morning' shows an action that began earlier and continues now.
2. With 'I', the present perfect continuous is 'have been reading'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Since' + a point of time with a present situation takes the present perfect continuous.
2. 'Had been reading' needs a past reference point.

Answer: (a) have spoken

Explanation:
1. The speaking is a recent action with a present result ('She wants you to see her').
2. With 'I', the present perfect is 'have spoken'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Present perfect connects a past action with its present effect.
2. Inside quotation marks, choose tense from the speaker's present.

Answer: (d) had driven

Explanation:
1. 'Realised' is in the simple past.
2. The driving happened before that realisation, so the past perfect 'had driven' is used.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past perfect marks what had already happened by a past moment.
2. 'When I realised' gives the past reference point.

Answer: (d) got

Explanation:
1. The second verb 'drove' is in the simple past.
2. Actions in a sequence joined by 'and' take the same tense: got.

Teacher's Note:
1. Parallel verbs joined by 'and' usually share one tense.
2. 'Has got' also fails subject-verb agreement with 'they'.

Answer: (a) had come

Explanation:
1. 'By the end of the 15th century' is a point in the past.
2. An action completed before a past point takes the past perfect 'had come'.

Teacher's Note:
1. By + past time is a common signal for the past perfect.
2. Historical time phrases rule out the present perfect.

Answer: (b) Future Tense

Explanation:
1. 'Is going to + verb' expresses a future action or prediction.
2. It is a form of the future, not a present-tense action.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Be going to' is a common way to talk about the future.
2. Do not be misled by 'is'; look at the meaning.

Answer: (d) The children had been playing in the park throughout the evening.

Explanation:
1. Past perfect continuous = had + been + verb-ing.
2. Only option (d) has 'had been playing'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Match the formula exactly: had been + -ing.
2. Options (b) and (c) are present perfect continuous and past perfect.

Answer: (d) had fallen

Explanation:
1. 'Was sorry' is in the past.
2. Falling asleep happened before he felt sorry, so 'had fallen' is used.

Teacher's Note:
1. The earlier of two past events takes the past perfect.
2. Feelings about an earlier action are a common context.