Identify the tense of the underlined verb in the sentence:
Dadi had a bad cough all through the Diwali week, so she missed the family puja.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Simple past tense
Simple past tense:
- Its form is the past form of the verb (V2).
- It shows an action or state that was over in the past.
- Here “had” is the main verb.
- It is the past form of “have” and means Dadi suffered from a cough.
- No other verb follows it.
- Example: Our class had a picnic at Lalbagh last month.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Past perfect tense — Incorrect.
- The past perfect is had + past participle (V3), as in “had caught”.
- Here “had” stands alone with no V3 after it.
- Example: The bus had left before we reached the stop.
Option 3: Present perfect tense — Incorrect.
- The present perfect is has / have + V3.
- The underlined word is “had”, a past form, with no V3.
- Example: Papa has bought a new cooler.
Option 4: Past continuous tense — Incorrect.
- The past continuous is was / were + V-ing.
- The underlined verb has no “was” and no -ing word.
- Example: Ritu was reading when the lights went off.