CBSE Class 10 English Tense MCQs Set 03

Answer: (a) did not have

Explanation:
1. 'Back in my native place' refers to a past time.
2. Negative simple past = did not + base form: did not have.

Teacher's Note:
1. After 'did', always use the base form of the verb.
2. 'Did not had' is a very common error.

Answer: (b) have been taking

Explanation:
1. 'For a week now' shows an action continuing up to the present.
2. With 'I', the present perfect continuous is 'have been taking'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'For + period + now' signals the present perfect continuous.
2. 'Have had been' is not a valid verb form.

Answer: (a) Simple Future Tense

Explanation:
1. 'Will + base verb' (will walk) is the simple future.
2. There is no 'have + V3', so it is not the future perfect.

Teacher's Note:
1. Simple future = will/shall + base form.
2. Compare: 'will have walked' would be future perfect.

Answer: (b) had planned

Explanation:
1. 'Last month' fixes the time in the past, so the present perfect is ruled out.
2. 'Had planned' shows a plan made earlier (that was perhaps not carried out).

Teacher's Note:
1. Present perfect cannot be used with a finished past time like 'last month'.
2. 'Were planned' and 'are planned' wrongly make 'we' the thing planned.

Answer: (b) did not want

Explanation:
1. 'Did not' must be followed by the base form of the verb.
2. So the correct form is 'did not want'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Auxiliary 'do/does/did' always takes the base verb.
2. Never put the past tense in two places (did ... wanted).

Answer: (c) has gone

Explanation:
1. Present perfect = has/have + past participle.
2. With the singular subject 'Jack', it is 'has gone'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Had gone' is past perfect; 'has been going' is present perfect continuous.
2. Match both the tense and the subject.

Answer: (c) has been following

Explanation:
1. Present perfect continuous = has/have + been + -ing.
2. With the singular subject 'Anirudh', it is 'has been following'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Check both the tense formula and subject agreement.
2. 'Has followed' is the present perfect, not the continuous form.

Answer: (c) broke

Explanation:
1. 'Just now' refers to a moment in the recent past and takes the simple past.
2. The past form of 'break' is 'broke'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Just now' takes the simple past; 'just' alone often takes the present perfect.
2. 'Broken' needs an auxiliary (has/had).

Answer: (a) Simple Past Tense

Explanation:
1. The main verb 'wrote' is the simple past form of 'write'.
2. There is no 'had', so it is not a perfect tense.

Teacher's Note:
1. Simple past is used for past habits too ('regularly wrote').
2. Identify the main verb before naming the tense.

Answer: (c) Present continuous tense

Explanation:
1. 'Is + verb-ing' is the present continuous.
2. It shows an action happening now.

Teacher's Note:
1. Present continuous = am/is/are + -ing.
2. Present perfect continuous would be 'has been reading'.

Answer: (a) shall have been waiting

Explanation:
1. Future perfect continuous = shall/will + have + been + -ing.
2. Only 'shall have been waiting' has this form.

Teacher's Note:
1. This tense shows duration up to a future point ('by the time you arrive').
2. Learn the formula as four parts: shall + have + been + -ing.

Answer: (c) had become

Explanation:
1. 'By the time she was fifteen' is a past reference point.
2. Something completed before that past point takes 'had become'.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'By the time + past' signals the past perfect.
2. 'Has becoming' is not a valid verb form.

Answer: (c) arrived

Explanation:
1. The rain started first (past perfect 'had started').
2. The guests' arrival is the later past action, in the simple past: arrived.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past perfect + simple past is the standard pair.
2. The later action does not need 'had'.

Answer: (b) returned

Explanation:
1. 'Since' introduces the point in the past when the change began.
2. That point is a completed past action, so the simple past 'returned' is used.

Teacher's Note:
1. Pattern: present perfect main clause + since + simple past.
2. Avoid the present perfect after 'since' when it marks a starting point.

Answer: (b) would

Explanation:
1. The reporting verb 'said' is in the past, so 'will' shifts to 'would'.
2. 'Even if he saw it' is a hypothetical condition, which also takes 'would'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Backshift: will becomes would in reported speech.
2. Second conditional: if + past, would + base verb.

Answer: (a) rains

Explanation:
1. The sentence states a general fact about a place.
2. General facts take the simple present: rains.

Teacher's Note:
1. Simple present expresses facts, habits and general truths.
2. 'Raining' alone is not a finite verb.

Answer: (b) rose

Explanation:
1. The second verb 'took' is in the simple past.
2. Parallel actions take the same tense, so 'rose' is correct.

Teacher's Note:
1. Narratives keep one tense for a sequence of actions.
2. Rise - rose - risen.

Answer: (b) embraced

Explanation:
1. 'Cried' places the event in the past.
2. The mother's reaction is also past: embraced.

Teacher's Note:
1. Both clauses of a past event use past forms.
2. 'Embracing' is not a finite verb.

Answer: (a) was talking

Explanation:
1. 'Could hardly understand' sets the scene in the past.
2. An action in progress in the past takes the past continuous: was talking.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past continuous describes an action going on at a past moment.
2. Match the time frame of the other verb in the sentence.

Answer: (b) were mocking

Explanation:
1. 'Children' is plural and needs a plural verb.
2. Among the options, only 'were mocking' is plural and finite.

Teacher's Note:
1. Children is an irregular plural.
2. 'Mocking' alone cannot be the main verb.

Answer: (b) had completed

Explanation:
1. The reporting verb 'asked' is in the past.
2. Completing the assignment happened before the asking, so it takes 'had completed'.

Teacher's Note:
1. In reported questions, the past or present perfect shifts to the past perfect.
2. 'If' here means 'whether'.

Answer: (a) have been working

Explanation:
1. 'It's already 11.30 a.m.' shows we are still in the present.
2. An activity that has continued all morning up to now takes 'have been working'.

Teacher's Note:
1. The present perfect continuous links a past start with the present.
2. 'Had been working' would need a past reference point.

Answer: (a) had visited

Explanation:
1. 'Knew' and 'asked' are in the past.
2. His visit came before that, as 'before' shows, so 'had visited' is used.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Before' with an earlier past experience signals the past perfect.
2. Do not mix present tenses into a past narrative.

Answer: (c) was trying

Explanation:
1. 'Saw' and 'got' are in the past.
2. An action in progress at that past moment takes 'was trying'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past continuous for an action in progress.
2. Keep the reported clause in the past after 'saw'.

Answer: (b) was

Explanation:
1. 'Didn't know' is in the past.
2. Her being in the apartment was at the same past time, so 'was' fits.

Teacher's Note:
1. Same-time past states use the simple past.
2. 'Had been' would show an earlier time.

Answer: (b) returned

Explanation:
1. The sentence narrates past events.
2. The return from Spain is a completed past action: returned.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'When' clauses in past narratives usually take the simple past.
2. Present perfect cannot be used inside a past narrative.

Answer: (a) revolves

Explanation:
1. The Earth revolving around the Sun is a universal truth.
2. Universal truths stay in the simple present even after a past verb.

Teacher's Note:
1. Universal truths do not change tense in reported speech.
2. This is the exception to backshift.

Answer: (d) will be

Explanation:
1. 'Next Friday and Saturday' refers to the future.
2. The request for leave shows the writer will be away, so 'will be' is correct; 'won't be' contradicts the request.

Teacher's Note:
1. Time expressions like 'next Friday' signal the future tense.
2. Read the whole context: a leave request needs a positive statement of absence.

Answer: (b) has been living

Explanation:
1. 'For five years now' shows an action that began in the past and is still continuing.
2. Present perfect continuous 'has been living' expresses this.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'For + period' with 'now' calls for the present perfect (continuous).
2. Simple present continuous cannot be used with 'for five years'.

Answer: (b) goes

Explanation:
1. This is a general truth, so the simple present is used.
2. The singular subject 'a little help' takes 'goes'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Proverbs and universal truths are written in the simple present.
2. Past or future forms make a general truth sound like a one-time event.

Answer: (c) has implemented

Explanation:
1. The change was made recently and its effect continues now.
2. The present perfect 'has implemented' expresses a recent completed action with present relevance.

Teacher's Note:
1. Use the present perfect for recent actions whose results are seen now.
2. 'Recently' often signals the present perfect.

Answer: (a) ate

Explanation:
1. A finite verb is needed for the singular subject 'Anya'.
2. 'Ate' (simple past) is complete; 'have eaten' does not agree with a singular subject and 'eating/eaten' need helping verbs.

Teacher's Note:
1. Participles like 'eating' and 'eaten' cannot work alone as the main verb.
2. A singular subject takes 'has', not 'have'.

Answer: (d) washed

Explanation:
1. The narrative is in the past ('was standing').
2. A shorter action that happened during a longer past action takes the simple past: 'washed'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Past continuous + simple past: a longer action interrupted by a shorter one.
2. Future forms do not fit a past narrative.

Answer: (d) has been suffering

Explanation:
1. 'Since last Sunday' shows an action that started in the past and continues now.
2. Present perfect continuous 'has been suffering' expresses this.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Since + point of time' needs the present perfect (continuous).
2. Simple past cannot be used with 'since' for a continuing state.

Answer: (c) challenges → challenged

Explanation:
1. The first clause is in the past ('was mocked').
2. To keep the tense consistent, 'challenges' must be 'challenged'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Clauses joined by 'and' in a narrative keep the same tense.
2. Stories are usually narrated in the simple past.

Answer: (c) caused

Explanation:
1. 'When the storm hit' is in the simple past.
2. The result in the main clause is also a completed past action: 'caused'.

Teacher's Note:
1. Keep the main clause in the same time frame as the 'when' clause.
2. 'Causing' cannot act as the main verb on its own.

Answer: (d) moves

Explanation:
1. A universal truth is expressed in the simple present: 'The earth moves around the sun'.
2. Use the simple present for facts and scientific truths.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Has moved' suggests a completed action, which does not suit a permanent fact.
2. Look for time markers (yesterday, last year, since, now, every year) before choosing a tense.

Answer: (c) eats

Explanation:
1. 'Usually' marks a habit, and 'goes' is simple present, so 'eats' is correct.
2. Habitual actions take the simple present; with he/she/it add -s.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Is eating' describes an action happening now, not a habit.
2. Keep the tense of a passage consistent unless the time reference clearly changes.

Answer: (c) sat

Explanation:
1. The story is told in the past ('met', 'wanted'), so the simple past 'sat' is needed.
2. Keep the narrative tense consistent: past events take the simple past.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Sitting' cannot be the main verb without a helping verb.
2. A past narrative usually stays in the simple past; earlier past actions take the past perfect.

Answer: (d) gone

Explanation:
1. 'Would have' is followed by the past participle: 'would have gone mad'.
2. Perfect forms (have/has/had/would have) take the past participle.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Would have went' is a common error; 'went' is the simple past, not the participle.
2. Look for time markers (yesterday, last year, since, now, every year) before choosing a tense.

Answer: (d) riding

Explanation:
1. 'Was not' + verb-ing forms the past continuous: 'was not riding'.
2. Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Was not rode' combines two past forms incorrectly.
2. Keep the tense of a passage consistent unless the time reference clearly changes.

Answer: (c) had

Explanation:
1. The building happened before the visit in the past ('I saw'), so the past perfect 'had been built'.
2. For an action completed before another past action, use the past perfect.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Have been built' is present perfect and does not match the past 'saw'.
2. A past narrative usually stays in the simple past; earlier past actions take the past perfect.

Answer: (c) wanted

Explanation:
1. The narrative is in the past ('could'), so 'wanted'.
2. Keep verbs in a past narration in the simple past.

Teacher's Note:
1. 'Wants' shifts to the present without any reason.
2. Look for time markers (yesterday, last year, since, now, every year) before choosing a tense.