Choose the appropriate verbs to fill in the blanks and complete the sentences below: A recent study done in the state, _______ 20 districts, revealed that the Siddhis _____ the poorest community in the state.
covering, were
Understanding Verb Choices in Sentence Completion
Let's analyze the given sentence and the options to find the most appropriate verbs to fill in the blanks. The sentence is:
A recent study done in the state, _______ 20 districts, revealed that the Siddhis _____ the poorest community in the state.
We need to choose verbs for two blanks. The first blank describes the relationship of the study to the districts, and the second blank describes the finding about the Siddhis community.
Analyzing the First Blank: Participle Phrase
The phrase "_______ 20 districts" is a participial phrase modifying "A recent study". It tells us something about the scope or coverage of the study. We have two options:
- covering: This is a present participle. A present participle phrase often describes an action happening at the same time as the main verb, or describes a continuous or general characteristic. In this context, "covering 20 districts" means the study includes or encompasses these districts as its area of focus. This is a standard way to describe the scope of a study or survey.
- having covered: This is a perfect participle. A perfect participle phrase usually indicates an action that was completed *before* the action of the main verb. "Having covered 20 districts" would imply the action of covering the districts was finished before the study "revealed" its findings. While grammatically possible, it places more emphasis on the completion of the covering action prior to the revelation, which is usually not the primary emphasis when describing the scope of a study. "Covering" is more natural for describing what the study is about.
Therefore, "covering" is the more suitable choice for the first blank to describe the scope of the study.
Analyzing the Second Blank: Tense with 'Revealed'
The main verb of the sentence is "revealed", which is in the past tense. The clause following "revealed that..." reports what the study found. We need to choose a tense for the verb describing the state of the Siddhis community. The options are:
- were: This is the simple past tense. If the study revealed this fact in the past, reporting that the Siddhis "were" the poorest community aligns the tense with the time the study's findings became known. This implies their status was such at the time the study concluded or revealed its results.
- had been: This is the past perfect tense. This tense is used for an action that happened before another action in the past. Using "had been" would suggest the Siddhis were the poorest community *before* the study revealed it (or before some other past point). While possible in specific contexts, it's less direct than "were" when simply reporting a finding revealed in the past.
- are: This is the present tense. Using "are" would suggest that the finding revealed in the past is still true in the present moment of speaking or writing. This is sometimes used, but when reporting what a study *revealed* (past action), using a past tense verb ("were") for the reported state is generally more standard and reflects the situation at the time of the study's conclusion.
Given that the study "revealed" its findings in the past, using "were" (past tense) for the state of the community at the time of the revelation is the most direct and common way to report the finding.
Combining the Choices
Based on the analysis, the most appropriate choices are "covering" for the first blank and "were" for the second blank.
- "covering" accurately describes the scope of the study.
- "were" appropriately reflects the state of the Siddhis community as revealed by the study in the past.
Putting them together, the completed sentence reads:
A recent study done in the state, covering 20 districts, revealed that the Siddhis were the poorest community in the state.
| Blank | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 | Analysis | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | having covered | having covered | covering | covering | "covering" is preferred for describing the scope of a study. | covering |
| 2 | were | had been | were | are | "were" aligns with the past tense "revealed" to report the finding at the time of revelation. | were |
| Combined | having covered, were | having covered, had been | covering, were | covering, are | Combination of best fits. | covering, were |
Revision Table: Key Concepts in Verb Usage
| Concept | Explanation | Example in Context |
|---|---|---|
| Present Participle (-ing) Phrase | Describes an action happening at the same time as the main verb, or provides descriptive information about the noun it modifies. Often used to indicate scope or manner. | A study covering 20 districts... (describes what the study includes) |
| Perfect Participle (having + past participle) Phrase | Indicates an action that was completed before the action of the main verb. | Having finished the report, she submitted it. (Finishing happened before submitting) |
| Simple Past Tense | Used for actions or states completed in the past. Often used when reporting findings of past events (like a study). | The study revealed... The Siddhis were... |
| Past Perfect Tense | Used for an action completed before another past action. Requires a specific sequence of past events. | He had left before I arrived. (Leaving happened before arriving) |
| Present Tense | Used for current states, habits, facts. Can be used to report past findings if they are considered currently true, but past tense is often more direct when linked to a past revelation. | The sun rises in the east. The Siddhis are facing challenges today. (Present fact) |
Additional Information: Grammatical Structures
Understanding how participle phrases and reported speech work is key to solving this type of sentence completion question.
- Participle Phrases: Phrases beginning with a present participle (e.g., "covering") or past participle (e.g., "covered") can function like adjectives, adding detail to a noun. In the sentence, "covering 20 districts" acts as a descriptive phrase for "A recent study".
- Reporting Past Findings: When reporting what a past study "revealed" or "found", the tense of the reported clause often reflects the situation at the time the study's findings were true. If the study revealed a state that existed then, the past tense ("were") is appropriate. If the finding is presented as a timeless truth or a state continuing to the present, the present tense ("are") might be used, but "were" is a safer and often more accurate choice when tied directly to a past revelation.
In this specific sentence, the most natural and grammatically standard construction uses "covering" to describe the study's scope and "were" to report the past finding revealed by the study.
Important Questions from Fill in the Blanks
Direction : Select the word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the answer sheet accordingly.
There was a time when West Germany was a distinct ______.
Direction: Select the word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the answer sheet accordingly.
My son is very _____, he trusts everyone.Direction: Select the word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the answer sheet accordingly.
I wish I _____ her before we met.Directions: Each of the following items in this section has a sentence with a missing preposition. Select the correct preposition from the given options and mark your response accordingly.
I accepted the offer _______ certain conditions.
Directions: Each of the following items in this section has a sentence with a missing preposition. Select the correct preposition from the given options and mark your response accordingly.
He visits the needy to relieve them ______ their sufferings and poverty.
