1.
My nephew was sick since he … outside in bad weather all day.
Correct Answer
A. had been playing
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been playing". This is because the sentence suggests that the nephew was sick because he had been playing outside in bad weather all day. The use of "had been playing" indicates that the action of playing occurred before the nephew became sick.
2.
… to quit your job before getting fired?
Correct Answer
A. Had you been being asked
Explanation
This answer is correct because it uses the correct tense and structure to convey the meaning of the question. "Had you been being asked" is the past perfect continuous tense, which is used to talk about a continuous action that happened before a specific point in the past. In this case, the question is asking if someone had been continuously asked about quitting their job before they eventually got fired.
3.
His skin became darker because he … something under the scorching sun without sunscreen.
Correct Answer
A. had been doing
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been doing." This is because the phrase "had been doing" indicates that the action of being under the scorching sun without sunscreen occurred in the past and was ongoing. This suggests that the person's skin became darker as a result of continuous exposure to the sun without protection.
4.
… his mobile phone conversations for a few minutes when he suddenly opened the door?
Correct Answer
A. Had you been overhearing
Explanation
The correct answer is "Had you been overhearing." This is the correct form of the past perfect continuous tense in the interrogative form. It suggests that the person being addressed had been overhearing the mobile phone conversations before the moment when he suddenly opened the door.
5.
Vina was sad since you … her for a long time.
Correct Answer
A. had not been contacting
Explanation
The correct answer is "had not been contacting" because it correctly uses the past perfect continuous tense to indicate that the action of not contacting Vina had been ongoing for a period of time in the past. The phrase "had not been" indicates a negative action that was happening continuously in the past.
6.
Shasa … the diet plan for more than two weeks when finally recognizing it didn’t work.
Correct Answer
A. had been trying
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been trying". This is because the sentence is in the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continued up until a specific point in the past. The phrase "for more than two weeks" indicates the duration of the action, and "when finally recognizing it didn't work" suggests that the action had been ongoing before the realization occurred. Therefore, "had been trying" is the appropriate verb form to use in this context.
7.
The project … by the senior engineer for a year before he resigned.
Correct Answer
A. had been being managed
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been being managed." This is because the sentence is in the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continued up until a specific point in the past. The use of "had been" indicates the past perfect tense, while "being managed" is the present participle form of the verb "manage" used in the continuous aspect.
8.
By the time I asked, my home assistant …
Correct Answer
B. had been getting rid of toxic household items
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been getting rid of toxic household items" because the sentence is in the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continued up until a specific point in the past. The use of "had been" shows that the home assistant had been actively getting rid of toxic household items before the speaker asked about it.
9.
When you … the room, we … the matter of our wages for 10 minutes.
Correct Answer
A. entered, had been discussing
Explanation
The sentence is in the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continued up until another point in the past. The first part of the sentence, "When you entered the room," suggests that the action of entering the room happened first. The second part, "we had been discussing the matter of our wages for 10 minutes," indicates that the action of discussing had already been in progress before the person entered the room. Therefore, the correct answer is "entered, had been discussing."
10.
I … on the railway station waiting room for an hour before the train arrived.
Correct Answer
A. had been sitting
Explanation
The correct answer is "had been sitting." This is because the sentence is in the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continued up until a certain point in the past. The verb "sitting" is in the past participle form, and the auxiliary verb "had been" is used to show the continuous nature of the action.