The GATE Grind

GATE 2025 PI – 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 activity took place before the past event “started to rain”. Among the supplied choices, “had been playing” correctly expresses that prior continuing activity: B. “Have been playing” uses present time, and the other choices express hypothetical or possible activity.

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