Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding letter. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response. By 8.00 in the morning he wrote four letters to his friends.
Had written
Sentence Correction: Choosing the Correct Verb Tense
The question asks us to find the best substitution for the underlined part "he wrote" in the sentence: "By 8.00 in the morning he wrote four letters to his friends." We need to analyze the context and the options to determine which verb tense is most appropriate.
The phrase "By 8.00 in the morning" indicates a specific point in the past (8:00 am) by which an action was completed. When we talk about an action that was finished before a particular time in the past, we typically use the Past Perfect tense.
Analyzing the Original Sentence and Options
Let's look at the original sentence with the simple past "he wrote":
"By 8.00 in the morning he wrote four letters to his friends."
Using the simple past "wrote" suggests the action happened at some point in the past, possibly at 8:00 am or before, but the simple past doesn't explicitly emphasize the completion *by* that specific time as clearly as the Past Perfect does.
Now let's examine the possible substitutions:
- Had written (Past Perfect Tense)
The Past Perfect tense is formed with "had" + the past participle of the verb (written). This tense is used for an action that was completed before a specific point in the past.
In the sentence, the specific point in the past is "8.00 in the morning". The action is "writing four letters". If he "had written four letters by 8.00 in the morning", it means the task of writing those four letters was finished at or before 8.00 am. This fits the context provided by "By 8.00 in the morning".
- Had been writing (Past Perfect Continuous Tense)
The Past Perfect Continuous tense is formed with "had been" + the present participle (-ing form) of the verb (writing). This tense is used for an action that started in the past and continued up to a specific point in the past.
If he "had been writing four letters by 8.00 in the morning", it would typically imply the duration of the writing activity up to that point, or that the activity itself was ongoing until 8:00 am. While sometimes used for completed actions focusing on the activity, it's less common for a definite number of items completed ("four letters"). The Past Perfect ("Had written") is more suitable for emphasizing the completion of a specific quantity by a past deadline.
- Was writing (Past Continuous Tense)
The Past Continuous tense is formed with "was/were" + the present participle (-ing form) of the verb (writing). This tense is used for an action that was ongoing at a specific point in the past.
If he "was writing four letters at 8.00 in the morning", it means at that precise moment (8:00 am), he was in the middle of the writing process. The phrase "By 8.00 in the morning" doesn't mean *at* 8:00 am, but rather *before or at* 8:00 am. Therefore, the Past Continuous does not fit the meaning required here.
- No improvement
As discussed earlier, the simple past "he wrote" is possible, but the phrase "By 8.00 in the morning" strongly suggests the need to emphasize completion before that past time. The Past Perfect tense does this more effectively, making an improvement possible.
Conclusion on the Best Substitution
Comparing the options, the Past Perfect tense "had written" is the most suitable verb tense to indicate an action (writing four letters) that was completed before a specific point in the past (8.00 in the morning).
Therefore, the sentence improved by substituting "he wrote" with "Had written" is:
"By 8.00 in the morning he had written four letters to his friends."
This sentence clearly conveys that the action of writing the four letters was finished by the specified time.
| Underlined Part / Option | Verb Tense | Meaning in Context | Fit with "By 8.00 in the morning" |
|---|---|---|---|
| he wrote | Simple Past | Action happened in the past | Possible, but doesn't strongly emphasize completion by the time |
| Had written | Past Perfect | Action completed before a past time | Best Fit - Clearly shows completion by 8 am |
| Had been writing | Past Perfect Continuous | Action ongoing up to a past time, or duration | Less suitable for a completed quantity ("four letters") |
| Was writing | Past Continuous | Action ongoing at a past time | Does not fit "By 8.00 in the morning" (completion by) |
Revision Table: English Verb Tenses
Here is a quick summary of the tenses discussed:
| Tense | Form | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Past | Verb<sub>ed</sub> / irregular form | He wrote a letter yesterday. (Action completed at a specific time in the past) |
| Past Perfect | had + Past Participle | By noon, he had written three letters. (Action completed before a specific past time) |
| Past Continuous | was/were + Verb<sub>ing</sub> | He was writing a letter at 7 PM. (Action ongoing at a specific past time) |
| Past Perfect Continuous | had been + Verb<sub>ing</sub> | He had been writing for two hours before the meeting started. (Action continued up to a specific past time, focusing on duration) |
Additional Information: Past Perfect Usage
The Past Perfect tense is often used in English grammar:
- To describe an action that happened before another action in the past. Example: When I arrived, the train had already left. (Leaving happened before arriving).
- To describe an action that happened before a specific time in the past, as seen in the question example. Example: By midnight, I had finished my homework.
- In reported speech, to report something said in the Simple Past or Present Perfect. Example: She said, "I finished the report." > She said she had finished the report.
Understanding the context cues like "By [past time]" is crucial for choosing the correct past tense in sentence correction exercises.
Similar Questions
Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (a), (b) or (c) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding letter. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (d) as your response.
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Your services are dispensed for.
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
The questions are so simple that a child can understand it .
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
Even children shrink away from food thinking that they should become overweight.
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No substitution required.
The weather reports is prepared by the Meteorological Department of the Government.
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
He decided to leave very quickly the hotel.
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution required’.
I have been worked hard to finish this project.
