Q1. Fill in the blank: I ___ my homework already.
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Answer: C. have finished
The present perfect (have/has + past participle) is used with 'already' for a completed action with present relevance.
Tenses Questions for SSC CGL (with Answers)
20 Tenses MCQs from the English Comprehension section, with answers and short explanations.
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Q2. Fill in the blank: I ___ him since childhood.
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Answer: D. have known
The present perfect is used with 'since' for a state continuing up to now; 'know' is a stative verb and is not used in the continuous form.
Q3. Fill in the blank: She ___ a book right now.
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Answer: B. is reading
The present continuous (is/am/are + verb-ing) is used for actions happening at the moment of speaking.
Q4. Fill in the blank: The sun ___ in the west.
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Answer: B. sets
The simple present tense is used for universal truths and facts.
Q5. Fill in the blank: Look! It ___.
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Answer: D. is raining
The present continuous is used for an action happening at the moment of speaking.
Q6. Fill in the blank: They ___ to Goa last year.
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Answer: A. went
The simple past is used with a definite past time such as 'last year'; the present perfect cannot be used with it.
Q7. Fill in the blank: If it rains tomorrow, we ___ at home.
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Answer: C. will stay
In the first conditional, 'if' + simple present is followed by 'will' + base verb.
Q8. Fill in the blank: By the time we reached the station, the train ___.
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Answer: D. had left
The past perfect (had + past participle) is used for the earlier of two past actions.
Q9. Fill in the blank: I ___ you tomorrow if I get time.
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Answer: A. will call
The main clause of a first conditional uses 'will' + base verb for a future action.
Q10. Fill in the blank: Yesterday I ___ my old friend at the market.
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Answer: B. met
A finished action at a stated past time takes the simple past: 'met'.
Q11. Fill in the blank: We ___ the Taj Mahal last month.
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Answer: D. visited
A definite past time like 'last month' needs the simple past; the present perfect is not used with it.
Q12. Fill in the blank: By next year, she ___ her degree.
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Answer: D. will have completed
The future perfect (will have + past participle) shows an action that will be completed before a point in the future.
Q13. Fill in the blank: I ___ a letter when the phone rang.
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Answer: A. was writing
The past continuous (was/were + -ing) shows an action in progress in the past when another action interrupted it.
Q14. Fill in the blank: These days she ___ to school on foot.
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Answer: B. goes
Present habits are expressed with the simple present; with 'she', the verb takes '-es': 'goes'.
Q15. Fill in the blank: She has already ___ her lunch.
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Answer: C. eaten
The present perfect is 'has/have' + past participle; the past participle of 'eat' is 'eaten'.
Q16. Fill in the blank: Listen! Someone ___ at the door.
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Answer: A. is knocking
An action happening at the moment of speaking takes the present continuous: 'is knocking'.
Q17. Fill in the blank: He ___ his keys, so he cannot open the door.
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Answer: A. has lost
The present perfect ('has' + past participle) shows a past action with a present result. 'He' takes 'has', not 'have'.
Q18. Fill in the blank: He ___ in this city for ten years now.
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Answer: C. has been living
An action that began in the past and continues now, with 'for + period', takes the present perfect continuous: 'has been living'.
Q19. Fill in the blank: They ___ football since morning.
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Answer: B. have been playing
An action that started at a point in the past ('since morning') and is still going on takes the present perfect continuous.
Q20. Choose the correct form: If I ___ you, I would apologise.
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Answer: A. were
In hypothetical conditionals we use 'were' for all subjects.