Correct alternative: c) past continuous, past perfect, simple past.
Let's analyze the verb tenses of sentences to understand how we came to the conclusion that alternative c) is correct:
Katherine Rowe's blue-haired avatar was flying across a grassy landscape. (The blue haired avatar of Katherine Rowe was flying over a grassy terrain.)
The verb of the sentence is was flying (she was flying), and has the following structure:
verb to be conjugate in the Simple Past (was) + main verb (to fly) conjugated in the gerund (flying)
This structure corresponds to the Past Continuous (Continuous Past), also called Past Progressive.
Some students had already gathered online. (Some students have already gathered online.)
The verb of the sentence is had gathered (gathered), and presents the following structure:
verb I have conjugate in the Simple Past (had) + main verb (to gather) conjugated in Past Participate (Gathered)
This structure corresponds to the Past Perfect (Perfect gift).
On a square coffee table sat a short stack of original issues of the magazine… (On a square coffee table, fit a small pile of original subjects from the magazine...)
The verb of the sentence is sat (it did). sat is the conjugation of Simple Past (Simple Past) of the verb I sit which, in this context, means “to fit”; with the idea of “behaving”.
Correct alternative: c) Studies – was going to – could – grow up.
Let's look at it sentence by sentence to understand why some alternatives are possible and others not.
I. John study engineering at my university. (John ________ engineering at my university.)
Options provided as alternatives to replace the underlined verb study are: a) is studying; B) Studied; ç) studies; d) studies and is) studied.
As the phrase does not have any time stamp, all the options available to replace the verb study can be used.
Note how the sentence would look with each of the options:
- John is studying engineering at my university. (John is studying engineering at my university.)
- John Studied engineering at my university. (John studied engineering at my university.)
- John studies engineering at my university. (John studies engineering at my university.)
II. helen is going to live in London last year. (Helen _________ living in London last year.)
In the sentence above, we have a specific defined time: last year (last year). This means that the verb to be used must be conjugated in the Simple Past (Simple past).
Options provided as alternatives to replace the underlined verb is going to are: a) went to; B) will; ç) was going to; d) goes; and) was going to.
Of all these options, we can already discard b) will, which is a form of the future, and also d) goes, for being a flexion of Simple Present (Simple present).
Despite being a combination of the past, was going to is a bending of the Past Continuous (Continuous Past), also known as Past Progressive, tense that indicates continuous actions in the past. The fact that the phrase has a definite tense in the past (last year = last year) indicates that the action was not continuous, but punctual.
There remains then the option went to, bending of Simple Past of the verb I go.
Therefore, the sentence with the replacement applied is as follows:
helen went to live in London last year. (Helen moved to London last year.)
III. Peter wishes he can read more this month. (Pedro wishes he could read more this month.)
In the sentence above, we have a specific defined time: this month (this month). In addition, the verb to wish (Wish). So, the phrase speaks of a wish for this month.
Options provided as alternatives to replace the underlined verb can are: a) cannot; B) could; ç) could; d) could; and) cannot.
Cannot is the negative form of the modal verb can (power), inflected in the Simple Present. When we use this option to complete the sentence, it no longer makes sense:
Pedro wishes he cannot read more this month. (Pedro wishes he couldn't read any more this month.)
Note that when the structure of a sentence is formed by combining wish + could, there is an indication of wish for the future, but such wish cannot be fulfilled.
Consequently, could is the correct way to complete the sentence.
Peter wishes he could read more this month. (Pedro wishes he could read more this month.)
In that case, Pedro has the desire to read more this month, but that won't be possible.
IV. When I grew up, I want to be a jazz singer. (When I ____________, I want to be a jazz singer.)
Options provided as alternatives to replace the underlined verb grew up are: a) grow up; B) grow up; ç) grow up; d) grown up; and) grown up.
grow up is the verb I grow up (grow) flexed in the Past Participate, and means “grown up”. If we complete the sentence with this option, it becomes meaningless:
When I grown up, I want to be a jazz singer. (When I grow up I want to be a jazz singer.)
Note that the phrase indicates a will about the future. However, this will is desired now, so the verb should be used in Simple Present (Simple present).
So, the alternative that completes the sentence correctly is grow up, inflection of the verb I grow at the Simple Present.
When I grow up, I want to be a jazz singer. (When I grow up I want to be a jazz singer.)
Correct alternative: a) verb.
O gerund (gerund) is a noun form which, like the verb, indicates an action.
a) CORRECT. the gerund approaching (approaching) has the function of a verb, as it indicates an action: the action of the train to approach.
b) WRONG. The word noun means "noun" and nouns do not indicate actions; they designate beings.
c) WRONG. The word article means "article" and articles do not indicate actions; they are determinants of nouns.
d) WRONG. The word adjective means "adjective" and adjectives do not indicate actions; they modify the nouns.
e) WRONG. The word quantifier means "quantifier" and quantifiers do not indicate actions; they express quantities.
Correct alternative: a) All the sentences are correct.
The tenses of all sentences are correctly applied. Let's analyze sentence by sentence to better understand:
1. I studied English five years ago. (I studied English five years ago.)
The verb Studied (I studied) is inflected in the Simple Past (Simple Past) – indicates punctual action that took place in the past. One of the indications of correct use of Simple Past, for example, is the reference to a specific time: five years ago (five years ago).
2. I was studying English when the telephone rang. (I was studying English when the phone rang.)
The verb was studying (was studying) is inflected in the Past Continuous (Continuous Past, also called Past Progressive). This time indicates continuous actions in the past. It is also used in sentences where two or more actions take place in the past.
O Past Continuous indicates the continuous action, which is always the one that started first. The other actions are indicated by the Simple Past (Simple past).
In the sentence, the action that started first is was studying english (I was studying English) and the action that started after is the telephone rang (the phone rang).
3. Have you ever studied French? (Have you ever studied French?)
The use of ever, which in the context of the phrase means “already”, indicates that there is a reference to an unidentified period of time, which happened before the present moment.
In this type of sentence, we use the Present Perfect (Perfect gift). the bending of Present Perfect used is have studied, which in the context of the phrase means “studied”.
4. I am going to study Spanish next year. (I will study Spanish next year.)
O going to is used to indicate future actions. One sign that the phrase indicates the future is the use of next year (next year).
Correct alternative: b) past progressive.
O Past Progressive (Continuous Past), also called Past Continuous, is formed by the verb to be conjugate in the Simple Past + main verb conjugated in gerund (-ing)
It indicates an ongoing action that has taken place in the past.
a) WRONG. In underlined verbs, the verb to be is flexed in the Simple Past (Simple Past), and not in the Simple Present (Simple present).
Are is an inflection of the verb to be at the Simple Present. were is an inflection of the verb to be at the Simple Past.
If the underlined verbs were inflected in the Present Progressive, we would have: are examining and are carrying.
b) CORRECT. In underlined verbs, were is an inflection of the verb. to be at the Simple Past (Simple past).
Examining is an inflection of the verb to exam (to examine; analyze) in the gerund, and carrying is an inflection of the verb to carry (in this context, translated as "port") in the gerund.
Therefore, both verbal inflections follow the formation structure of the Past Progressive (Past continuous).
c) WRONG. O Simple Present (Simple Present) is a tense that expresses actions in the present, which indicate habit or routine.
Note that, in the sentence, the gerund (examining/carrying). This in itself indicates continuous action. In addition, the bending of Simple Past (Simple past) used (were), indicates that the action took place in the past rather than the present.
d) WRONG. Future, as the name implies, indicates future actions. Note that in the structure of the two underlined verbs, we have a past inflection: were.
This, in itself, already rules out this alternative.
