Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Grammar: Tenses

Question:

Identify the incorrect example of Past Perfect Tense from the given options :

Options:

I had gone to the gymnasium by the time you arrived.

I had retired to bed when the guests arrived.

I had many opportunities to swim in the past.

I had just stepped into my office when the phone rang.

Correct Answer:

I had many opportunities to swim in the past.

Explanation:

The correct answer is OPTION 3 -I had many opportunities to swim in the past.

The incorrect example of Past Perfect Tense is: I had many opportunities to swim in the past.

  • The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that happened before another past action.
  • In the sentence "I had many opportunities to swim in the past," the action of having opportunities is not completed before another past action. It is a state of being that existed throughout the past.
  • The other three sentences accurately use the past perfect tense:
    • "I had gone to the gymnasium by the time you arrived" – This sentence indicates that the action of going to the gymnasium was completed before the action of someone arriving.
    • "I had retired to bed when the guests arrived" – This sentence clarifies that retiring to bed happened before the arrival of the guests.
    • "I had just stepped into my office when the phone rang" – This emphasizes that stepping into the office occurred immediately before the phone started ringing.