Past Tense Questions and Answers

This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Past Tense”.

1. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I had met him at London.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
b) Past Perfect tense
c) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: The Past Perfect tense is used to describe an action completed before a certain moment in the past.

2. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I had finished the poster when she came to meet me.
advertisement
advertisement

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: The Past Perfect tense is used in situations where if two actions occurred in the past, it becomes necessary to show which action happened earlier than the other.

3. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I had been waiting for him since yesterday.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: In the given sentence, the Past Perfect Continuous tense is applied as it is used to denote an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued up to that time.

4. Fill in the blanks.

The _________ is used to depict an action completed in the past.
advertisement

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Consider the example “We went to the market”. In the given sentence, the verb “went” is in the Simple Past tense.

5. Choose the correct option.

Sometimes the Simple Past tense is used without an adverb of time.
advertisement

a) True
b) False
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: It is true that sometimes the Simple Past tense is used without an adverb of time. In such kind of cases the time may either be implied or indicated by the context.

6. Fill in the blanks.

The _________ is used for past habits.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Consider the example: “She went to yoga classes everyday”. In the given sentence, the past habit of going to yoga classes has been denoted.

7. Fill in the blanks.

The _______ is used to denote an action going on in the past.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Consider the example: “We were dancing all night”. In the given sentence the word “were” denotes the past time zone and the word “dancing” denotes a continuous action that is going on.

8. Fill in the blanks.

The _________ is used with “always”.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
b) Past Perfect tense
c) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The Past Continuous tense is used with “always”, “continually”, etc. in order to denote persistent habits in the past.

9. Fill in the blanks.

The _______ denotes an action completed before a certain moment in the past.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Consider the example: “I had met him a few years back”. In the given sentence, the phrase “had met” denotes the past perfect tense.

10. Fill in the blanks.

The _______ is used that started before a certain point in the past and continued up to that time.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: Consider the sentence, “At that time he had been playing for two days”. In the given sentence, the phrase “had been playing”, denotes the past perfect tense.

To practice all topics of English Grammar, here is complete set of 5000+ Questions and Answers.

If you find a mistake in question / option / answer, kindly take a screenshot and email to [email protected]

advertisement
advertisement
Subscribe to our Newsletters (Subject-wise). Participate in the Sanfoundry Certification contest to get free Certificate of Merit. Join our social networks below and stay updated with latest contests, videos, internships and jobs!

Youtube | Telegram | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Manish Bhojasia - Founder & CTO at Sanfoundry
Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

Subscribe to his free Masterclasses at Youtube & discussions at Telegram SanfoundryClasses.