Tense Questions DPP
1. By the time the novel is published next month, the author __________ on it
continuously for over seven years.
● A) works
● B) will be working
● C) will have been working
● D) has been working
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Perfect Continuous
Explanation: By the time... next month specifies a target point in the future, while for over
seven years indicates the ongoing duration leading up to that exact future moment.
2. Hardly __________ when the server crashed and disconnected all participants.
● A) the meeting began
● B) had the meeting begun
● C) did the meeting begin
● D) has the meeting begun
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect + Inversion
Explanation: Starting a sentence with negative adverbs like Hardly... when requires inverted
word order (auxiliary verb + subject + main verb).
3. She denied that she __________ the confidential documents prior to their official
release yesterday.
● A) saw
● B) sees
● C) had seen
● D) was seeing
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect
,Explanation: The action of looking at the documents occurred before the secondary past action
of releasing them.
4. Had they taken the earlier flight, they __________ at the venue right now instead of
stuck at the terminal.
● A) would arrive
● B) will arrive
● C) would have arrived
● D) would be arriving
Answer: D
Tense/Rule Applied: Mixed Conditional (3rd + 2nd)
Explanation: Combines an unfulfilled past condition (Had they taken) with a result that would
be actively happening in the present (right now).
5. I __________ of selling my car, but I haven't made a final decision yet.
● A) think
● B) am thinking
● C) thought
● D) had thought
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Present Continuous (Dynamic Stative Verb)
Explanation: When think refers to an active process of deliberation or considering an idea, it
functions dynamically rather than statively.
6. The old oak tree, which __________ in the courtyard for over two centuries, was finally
cut down yesterday.
● A) stood
● B) has stood
● C) had been standing
● D) is standing
Answer: C
,Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect Continuous
Explanation: Describes an ongoing state that persisted over a long period (two centuries) prior
to a completed point in the past (was cut down).
7. Next Tuesday at this exact time, we __________ over the Atlantic on our way to
London.
● A) will fly
● B) fly
● C) will be flying
● D) are flying
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Continuous
Explanation: Refers to an action that will be actively in progress at a specific timestamp in the
future (Next Tuesday at this exact time).
8. Up until last week, he __________ that the project was on track, only to find out it was
months behind.
● A) believed
● B) had believed
● C) has believed
● D) is believing
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect
Explanation: Indicates a state of mind maintained up to a specific cutoff point in the past (Up
until last week).
9. "Why are you so out of breath?" — "I __________ up four flights of stairs because the
elevator is broken."
● A) ran
● B) have been running
● C) had run
, ● D) am running
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Present Perfect Continuous
Explanation: Used for a recently completed physical activity that leaves clear, visible evidence
in the present moment (out of breath).
10. It is high time the government __________ decisive action to curb inflation.
● A) takes
● B) will take
● C) took
● D) has taken
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Subjunctive (Unreal Past)
Explanation: Fixed expressions like It is high time or It is time take a simple past verb form to
express an urgent present requirement.
11. By this time next year, she __________ from university and started her new job in
Zurich.
● A) will graduate
● B) graduates
● C) will have graduated
● D) is graduating
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Perfect
Explanation: Used to show an action that will be completed prior to a set future deadline (By
this time next year).
12. No sooner __________ than the temperature dropped dramatically.
● A) the sun set
1. By the time the novel is published next month, the author __________ on it
continuously for over seven years.
● A) works
● B) will be working
● C) will have been working
● D) has been working
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Perfect Continuous
Explanation: By the time... next month specifies a target point in the future, while for over
seven years indicates the ongoing duration leading up to that exact future moment.
2. Hardly __________ when the server crashed and disconnected all participants.
● A) the meeting began
● B) had the meeting begun
● C) did the meeting begin
● D) has the meeting begun
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect + Inversion
Explanation: Starting a sentence with negative adverbs like Hardly... when requires inverted
word order (auxiliary verb + subject + main verb).
3. She denied that she __________ the confidential documents prior to their official
release yesterday.
● A) saw
● B) sees
● C) had seen
● D) was seeing
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect
,Explanation: The action of looking at the documents occurred before the secondary past action
of releasing them.
4. Had they taken the earlier flight, they __________ at the venue right now instead of
stuck at the terminal.
● A) would arrive
● B) will arrive
● C) would have arrived
● D) would be arriving
Answer: D
Tense/Rule Applied: Mixed Conditional (3rd + 2nd)
Explanation: Combines an unfulfilled past condition (Had they taken) with a result that would
be actively happening in the present (right now).
5. I __________ of selling my car, but I haven't made a final decision yet.
● A) think
● B) am thinking
● C) thought
● D) had thought
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Present Continuous (Dynamic Stative Verb)
Explanation: When think refers to an active process of deliberation or considering an idea, it
functions dynamically rather than statively.
6. The old oak tree, which __________ in the courtyard for over two centuries, was finally
cut down yesterday.
● A) stood
● B) has stood
● C) had been standing
● D) is standing
Answer: C
,Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect Continuous
Explanation: Describes an ongoing state that persisted over a long period (two centuries) prior
to a completed point in the past (was cut down).
7. Next Tuesday at this exact time, we __________ over the Atlantic on our way to
London.
● A) will fly
● B) fly
● C) will be flying
● D) are flying
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Continuous
Explanation: Refers to an action that will be actively in progress at a specific timestamp in the
future (Next Tuesday at this exact time).
8. Up until last week, he __________ that the project was on track, only to find out it was
months behind.
● A) believed
● B) had believed
● C) has believed
● D) is believing
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Perfect
Explanation: Indicates a state of mind maintained up to a specific cutoff point in the past (Up
until last week).
9. "Why are you so out of breath?" — "I __________ up four flights of stairs because the
elevator is broken."
● A) ran
● B) have been running
● C) had run
, ● D) am running
Answer: B
Tense/Rule Applied: Present Perfect Continuous
Explanation: Used for a recently completed physical activity that leaves clear, visible evidence
in the present moment (out of breath).
10. It is high time the government __________ decisive action to curb inflation.
● A) takes
● B) will take
● C) took
● D) has taken
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Past Subjunctive (Unreal Past)
Explanation: Fixed expressions like It is high time or It is time take a simple past verb form to
express an urgent present requirement.
11. By this time next year, she __________ from university and started her new job in
Zurich.
● A) will graduate
● B) graduates
● C) will have graduated
● D) is graduating
Answer: C
Tense/Rule Applied: Future Perfect
Explanation: Used to show an action that will be completed prior to a set future deadline (By
this time next year).
12. No sooner __________ than the temperature dropped dramatically.
● A) the sun set
