Choose the most appropriate word to complete the following sentence.
____ he was sitting in the garden, a scorpion stung him.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → While
Complete sentence: While he was sitting in the garden, a scorpion stung him. He "was sitting" in the garden (longer action) when the scorpion "stung" him (sudden event), so "While" joins them.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) After | After places the sting once the sitting was over. The continuous "was sitting" shows the action was still going on. | After he had finished dinner, he went for a walk. |
| (2) While (answer) | While means during the time that. It introduces a longer action already in progress, usually in the past continuous (was sitting). The main clause gives a short event that happened in the middle of that action, usually in the simple past (stung). Clue word: the past continuous "was sitting", an action in progress. | While I was reading, the lights went out. |
| (3) Before | Before places the sting earlier than the sitting. That does not fit an action in progress. | Switch off the fan before you leave. |
| (4) Till | Till means up to the time when and marks the end point of an action. "Till he was sitting" makes no sense. | Wait here till I come back. |