In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. One summer, a well in the garden dried up and there was no water for the plants. The rose slowly (1) ______ to wilt. The rose saw a sparrow (2) ______ its beak into the cactus for some water. The rose then felt (3) ______ of itself for having made fun of the cactus all this time. But, (4) ______ it was in need (5) ______ water, it went to ask the cactus if it could have some water. The kind cactus agreed, and they both got through summer as friends.
Filling the Blank: Identifying the Correct Verb Form
The passage describes events that happened in the past ("One summer, a well... dried up"). Therefore, the verbs used to describe actions in this narrative should generally be in the past tense.
Let's look at the sentence with blank number 1:
"The rose slowly (1) ______ to wilt."
We need to choose the most appropriate word from the options to fit into this blank, ensuring it makes grammatical sense and fits the past tense context of the story.
Analyzing the Options for Blank 1
The options provided are:
- begun
- began
- begin
- beginning
Let's consider each option:
- begun: This is the past participle of 'begin'. It is typically used with auxiliary verbs like 'has', 'have', 'had' (e.g., "has begun", "had begun") or in passive voice constructions. Simply using 'begun' alone as the main verb in this sentence is grammatically incorrect in standard English.
- began: This is the simple past tense of 'begin'. The sentence structure "Subject + simple past verb + infinitive (to + verb)" is a standard way to express that an action started in the past. For example, "He began to run." This fits perfectly with the narrative's past tense and the structure "The rose slowly began to wilt."
- begin: This is the base form of the verb 'begin'. It is used for the present tense with plural subjects, 'I', and 'you', or as an infinitive. For a singular subject like 'The rose' in the present tense, the form would be 'begins'. Using 'begin' here would be grammatically incorrect for a past tense narrative and for a singular subject without an auxiliary verb in the present.
- beginning: This is the present participle of 'begin'. It is used with forms of 'be' to create continuous tenses (e.g., "was beginning", "is beginning") or as a gerund or part of a participial phrase. Using 'beginning' alone as the main verb ("The rose slowly beginning to wilt") does not form a complete, grammatically correct sentence in the past tense. It would need an auxiliary verb like 'was' to form a past continuous tense: "The rose was slowly beginning to wilt." However, the structure provided only allows for a single word in the blank.
Determining the Correct Option
Based on the analysis, 'began' is the only option that correctly serves as the main verb in the simple past tense, fitting the structure of the sentence and the overall past tense narrative of the passage. The sentence "The rose slowly began to wilt" means that at some point in the past, the process of wilting started for the rose.
Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1 is 'began'.
Sentence with Blank 1 Filled
The rose slowly began to wilt.
| Option | Analysis | Fit for Blank 1 |
|---|---|---|
| begun | Past participle; needs auxiliary verb (has, have, had). | No |
| began | Simple past tense; fits past narrative and sentence structure. | Yes |
| begin | Base form; incorrect for past tense or singular present subject. | No |
| beginning | Present participle; needs auxiliary verb (is, am, are, was, were) for continuous tense. | No |
Revision Table: Verb Tenses and Forms
| Verb Form | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Base Form (begin) | Used in present tense (plural subjects, I, you), infinitive (to begin). | They begin. I want to begin. |
| Simple Past (began) | Used for actions completed in the past. | He began the work yesterday. |
| Past Participle (begun) | Used with 'have', 'has', 'had' (perfect tenses) or in passive voice. | She has begun. The work was begun. |
| Present Participle (beginning) | Used with 'be' (continuous tenses) or as a gerund/participle. | He is beginning. Beginning is hard. |
Additional Information: Understanding Narrative Tense
When reading a story or passage, pay attention to the main tense used by the author. Often, stories about past events are told using the simple past tense (e.g., "dried up", "saw", "felt", "went", "agreed", "got through"). This helps create a clear timeline of events. In this passage, the opening sentence "One summer, a well... dried up" clearly sets the narrative in the past, guiding the choice of subsequent verb forms like 'began'. Understanding the overall narrative tense is crucial for correctly filling in blanks in a passage.
Important Questions from Cloze Test
What would come in blank space (1)?
What would come in blank space (2)?
What would come in blank space (3)?
What would come in blank space (4)?
What would come in blank space (5)?
