Choose the correct verb form to fill in the blank:
Veer talks about last year’s Republic Day parade as if he ______ in the front row, though he only watched it on TV.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → had stood
Past perfect after “as if”:
- “As if” can show something that is not true.
- For an untrue past event, it takes the past perfect: had + past participle (V3).
- Clue word: “though he only watched it on TV” shows that Veer was never at the parade, and the parade is over.
- Complete sentence: Veer talks about last year’s Republic Day parade as if he had stood in the front row, though he only watched it on TV.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: has stood — Incorrect.
- “Has stood” is the present perfect: has / have + V3.
- It states a real fact joined to now.
- It cannot show an untrue past event after “as if”.
- Example: This temple has stood on the hill for five hundred years.
Option 3: stands — Incorrect.
- “Stands” is the simple present.
- It shows a fact or a habit now, but the event here is past and untrue.
- Example: The guard stands at the gate all day.
Option 4: will stand — Incorrect.
- “Will stand” is the simple future.
- A part with “as if” about something untrue never takes “will”.
- Example: The students will stand in rows for the assembly.