Identify the correct form of tense in the underlined part of the given…
2022
Identify the correct form of tense in the underlined part of the given sentence:
When I arrived, Tom was talking on the phone.
- A.
Past perfect
- B.
Present perfect continuous
- C.
Past continuous
- D.
Present continuous
Attempted by 34 students.
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Correct answer: C
The underlined verb phrase "was talking" is in the Past Continuous tense.
Understanding the Past Continuous Tense
The Past Continuous tense is used to describe an action that was in progress at a specific moment in the past.
Structure: [Subject] + [was/were] + [verb + -ing] (present participle).
In this context: "Tom" (subject) + "was" (auxiliary verb) + "talking" (present participle) describes an action that was ongoing when the speaker arrived.