Fill in the blank with Past Perfect Continuous Tense: The doctor was very…
2013
Fill in the blank with Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
The doctor was very tired as he _______ alone.
- A.
has worked
- B.
had worked
- C.
had been working
- D.
has been working
Attempted by 6 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
The correct answer is had been working (Option C).
Detailed Explanation
Grammatical Rule: The past perfect continuous tense is formed by using "had been" + [verb-ing]. This tense is used to describe an action that was ongoing for a period of time up until another point or event in the past.
Application: The main clause "The doctor was very tired" describes a past state. The action of "working alone" explains the cause of that state and occurred over a duration leading up to that past moment, making "had been working" the correct tense.