Want to test your preparation for govt job exams like SSC, Odisha PSC, Odisha SSSB, banking, and railways? Try this English grammar MCQ for past tense. In many exams, questions are asked from English tenses so practicing questions related to past tense is critical as many students make mistakes here.
Table of Contents
So take a pen and paper and let’s go:
English past Tense MCQs for govt job exams
1. They drive to the beach last weekend and enjoyed the sunset.
A) They
B) drive to the beach
C) enjoyed the sunset
D) last weekend
Ans
B) drive to the beach
Explanation: “drive” should be replaced with “drove” to match the past tense indicated by “last weekend”.
2. He play football with his friends yesterday evening.
A) He
B) play football
C) with his friends
D) yesterday evening
Ans
B) play football
Explanation: “play” should be replaced with “played” to match the past tense indicated by “yesterday evening”.
3. She make a delicious cake for her sister’s birthday last year.
A) She
B) make a delicious cake
C) for her sister’s birthday
D) last year
Ans
B) make a delicious cake
Explanation: “make” should be replaced with “made” to match the past tense indicated by “last year”.
4. They visit the museum to learn about history during their vacation.
A) They
B) visit the museum
C) and learn
D) during their vacation
Ans
B) visit the museum
Explanation: “visit” should be replaced with “visited” to match the past tense indicated by “during their vacation”.
5. He eat lunch at his favorite restaurant yesterday.
A) He
B) eat lunch
C) at his favorite restaurant
D) yesterday
Ans
B) eat lunch
Explanation: “eat” should be replaced with “ate” to match the past tense indicated by “yesterday”.
6. She write a poem and recite it in front of the class last Friday.
A) She
B) write a poem
C) and recite it
D) last Friday
Ans
B) write a poem
Explanation: “write” should be replaced with “wrote” to match the past tense indicated by “last Friday”.
7. They take a long walk in the park and admire the scenery yesterday.
A) They
B) take a long walk in the park
C) and admire the scenery
D) yesterday
Ans
B) take a long walk in the park
Explanation: “take” should be replaced with “took” to match the past tense indicated by “yesterday”.
8. She catch a cold after getting wet in the rain last night.
A) She
B) catch a cold
C) after getting wet in the rain
D) last night
Ans
B) catch a cold
Explanation: “catch” should be replaced with “caught” to match the past tense indicated by “last night”.
9. He watch a movie with his friends and enjoy popcorn last Sunday.
A) He
B) watch a movie
C) and enjoy popcorn
D) last Sunday
Ans
B) watch a movie
Explanation: “watch” should be replaced with “watched” to match the past tense indicated by “last Sunday”.
10. They go for a picnic in the countryside and have a great time last summer.
A) They
B) go for a picnic in the countryside
C) and have a great time
D) last summer
Ans
B) go for a picnic in the countryside
Explanation: “go” should be replaced with “went” to match the past tense indicated by “last summer”.
11. She speak to the manager and resolve the issue yesterday afternoon.
A) She
B) speak to the manager
C) and resolve the issue
D) yesterday afternoon
Ans
B) speak to the manager
Explanation: “speak” should be replaced with “spoke” to match the past tense indicated by “yesterday afternoon”.
12. He write a letter to his grandmother and post it last week.
A) He
B) write a letter
C) to his grandmother
D) last week
Ans
B) write a letter
Explanation: “write” should be replaced with “wrote” to match the past tense indicated by “last week”.
13. They build a sandcastle on the beach and play games all day last summer.
A) They
B) build a sandcastle on the beach
C) and play games all day
D) last summer
Ans
B) build a sandcastle on the beach
Explanation: “build” should be replaced with “built” to match the past tense indicated by “last summer”.
14. She meet her old friend for coffee and catch up last month.
A) She
B) meet her old friend for coffee
C) and catch up
D) last month
Ans
B) meet her old friend for coffee
Explanation: “meet” should be replaced with “met” to match the past tense indicated by “last month”.
15. He bake a cake for his mother’s birthday and surprise her last year.
A) He
B) bake a cake
C) for his mother’s birthday
D) last year
Ans
B) bake a cake
Explanation: “bake” should be replaced with “baked” to match the past tense indicated by “last year”.
16. They swim in the lake and have a picnic by the shore last weekend.
A) They
B) swim in the lake
C) and have a picnic by the shore
D) last weekend
Ans
B) swim in the lake
Explanation: “swim” should be replaced with “swam” to match the past tense indicated by “last weekend”.
17. She play the piano at the concert and impress everyone last month.
A) She
B) play the piano at the concert
C) and impress everyone
D) last month
Ans
B) play the piano at the concert
Explanation: “play” should be replaced with “played” to match the past tense indicated by “last month”.
18. He go for a jog in the park and enjoy the fresh air last evening.
A) He
B) go for a jog in the park
C) and enjoy the fresh air
D) last evening
Ans
B) go for a jog in the park
Explanation: “go” should be replaced with “went” to match the past tense indicated by “last evening”.
19. They watch a movie together and have popcorn at home last night.
A) They
B) watch a movie together
C) and have popcorn at home
D) last night
Ans
B) watch a movie together
Explanation: “watch” should be replaced with “watched” to match the past tense indicated by “last
20. She sing her favorite song and dance at the party last Friday.
A) She
B) sing her favorite song
C) and dance at the party
D) last Friday
Ans
B) sing her favorite song
Explanation: “sing” should be replaced with “sang” to match the past tense indicated by “last Friday”.
Now I feel it’s time to go over a few concepts so you learn this better.
What are the different types of Past Tense?
There are four different types of past tenses. Simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous tense. Each is used to describe events that have already happened differently or in different contexts.
- Simple Past Tense: It’s used for actions completed at a specific time in the past, e.g., “I traveled to Delhi.”
- Past Continuous Tense: Used for actions that were ongoing in the past, e.g., “I was watching TV when he called.” Remember, the event has an element of continuity.
- Past Perfect Tense: Used to describe an action that was completed before another past action, e.g., “She had left by the time I arrived.” There’re two past events. So event A (she had left) already happened before event B (I arrived).
- Past Perfect Continuous Tense: Used to describe an action that started in the past and continued up to another past action or time, e.g., “They had been studying for hours before the test.” As above there’re two past events – one of which has a continuity associated to it.
FAQs
What is past tense in English?
Just like in Odia or Hindi, we use different tenses to describe events that have happened – in English, we use Past tense to describe events that have happened before.
What are common mistakes made with Past Tenses in govt job exams?
Some common mistakes include using the wrong verb form (e.g., “I eat” instead of “I ate”), incorrect use of time expressions (e.g., using “yesterday” with present tense), and errors in maintaining tense consistency throughout the sentence.
