The GATE Grind

GATE 2025 DA – Question 2

General Aptitude · Verbal Aptitude: Grammar and Vocabulary · 1 mark · Multiple choice

We __________ tennis in the lawn when it suddenly started to rain.

Select the most appropriate option to complete the above sentence.

  1. have been playing
  2. had been playing
  3. would have been playing
  4. could be playing

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (B) had been playing

Explanation

The sentence describes an activity that was going on in the past when another past event (the rain) interrupted it. That calls for the past perfect continuous, "had been playing". "Have been playing" is present perfect, and the other two options talk about unreal or possible situations.