Choose the grammatically correct sentences from the options below:
(A) The ferry was about to pull away from the jetty when Meera came running down the steps.
(B) I wish I can speak Tamil as fluently as my roommate from Madurai does.
(C) The watchman has just locked the main gate, so you will have to use the side door.
(D) If I knew the shortcut through the market, I will take you there myself.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A) and (C) only
(A) The ferry was about to pull away from the jetty when Meera came running down the steps. — Correct.
- “Was / were about to” + base form shows an action that was going to happen very soon at a past moment.
(B) I wish I can speak Tamil as fluently as my roommate from Madurai does. — Incorrect.
- After “wish” for something we cannot do now, the verb moves one step back into the past, so “can” becomes “could”.
- Correct form: I wish I could speak Tamil as fluently as my roommate from Madurai does.
(C) The watchman has just locked the main gate, so you will have to use the side door. — Correct.
- The present perfect with “just” (has + past participle (V3)) shows an action finished a very short time ago.
- So “has just locked” is right.
(D) If I knew the shortcut through the market, I will take you there myself. — Incorrect.
- When the “if” part uses the past form (“knew”) for an unreal present situation, the other part takes “would” + base form, not “will”.
- Correct form: If I knew the shortcut through the market, I would take you there myself.