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ECAT — Engineering College Admission Test (UET)

ECAT English — Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement (Set 1)

Take the ECAT English — Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement (Set 1): 30 multiple-choice questions (40 minutes) with instant scoring and a full answer…

What this test covers

Sample questions with answers

The first 5 questions of this test, with the correct answer and explanation.

  1. Q1. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: By the time the inspector arrived, the workers ___ the damaged cable.

    • A. already replace
    • B. will have replaced
    • C. had already replaced ✓
    • D. have already replaced

    Answer: C. had already replaced

    Explanation: An action completed before another past action ('arrived') takes the past perfect: had replaced.

  2. Q2. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Neither the captain nor the players ___ happy with the umpire's decision.

    • A. was
    • B. were ✓
    • C. has been
    • D. is

    Answer: B. were

    Explanation: With 'neither … nor' the verb agrees with the nearer subject; 'players' is plural, so 'were'.

  3. Q3. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Each of the laptops in the computer lab ___ a separate charger.

    • A. has ✓
    • B. have
    • C. were having
    • D. are having

    Answer: A. has

    Explanation: 'Each' is singular and is the real subject, so the singular verb 'has' is required.

  4. Q4. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: She ___ in Multan since 2019.

    • A. is living
    • B. lived
    • C. was living
    • D. has been living ✓

    Answer: D. has been living

    Explanation: An action that began in the past and continues now, marked by 'since', takes the present perfect continuous.

  5. Q5. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: If it rains tomorrow, the final match ___.

    • A. would have been postponed
    • B. was postponed
    • C. would be postponed
    • D. will be postponed ✓

    Answer: D. will be postponed

    Explanation: First conditional: if + present simple, main clause with will + verb (here passive: will be postponed).

The other 25 questions

Take the timed test (free, no sign-up) to see your score and the answer and explanation for every question.

  1. Q6. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The news from the flood-hit villages ___ worrying.

    • A. are
    • B. were
    • C. is
    • D. have been

  2. Q7. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Physics, along with Chemistry and Mathematics, ___ compulsory for engineering admission.

    • A. have been
    • B. are
    • C. is
    • D. were

  3. Q8. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I ___ my homework when the electricity went off.

    • A. did
    • B. am doing
    • C. was doing
    • D. have done

  4. Q9. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Water ___ at 100 °C at sea level.

    • A. boiled
    • B. has boiled
    • C. is boiling
    • D. boils

  5. Q10. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Next June, my parents ___ married for twenty-five years.

    • A. will be
    • B. will have been
    • C. would be
    • D. have been

  6. Q11. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The committee ___ its final report to the vice-chancellor yesterday.

    • A. had been submitting
    • B. have submitted
    • C. has submitted
    • D. submitted

  7. Q12. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: A number of students ___ absent on Friday.

    • A. was
    • B. has been
    • C. were
    • D. is

  8. Q13. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The number of applicants this year ___ higher than last year's.

    • A. are
    • B. have been
    • C. were
    • D. is

  9. Q14. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: He ___ to the gym every morning, but this week he is resting because of an injury.

    • A. is going
    • B. has gone
    • C. went
    • D. goes

  10. Q15. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Look at those dark clouds! It ___ rain.

    • A. has been going to
    • B. is going to
    • C. goes to
    • D. was going to

  11. Q16. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Ten kilometres ___ a long distance to walk in this heat.

    • A. have been
    • B. are
    • C. is
    • D. were

  12. Q17. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Mathematics ___ my favourite subject ever since primary school.

    • A. were
    • B. has been
    • C. have been
    • D. are

  13. Q18. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The scissors on the table ___ mine.

    • A. is
    • B. are
    • C. was
    • D. has been

  14. Q19. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: When we reached the station, the train ___, so we waited for the next one.

    • A. is leaving
    • B. has left
    • C. had left
    • D. leaves

  15. Q20. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Either my brother or I ___ going to collect the parcel.

    • A. are
    • B. am
    • C. is
    • D. be

  16. Q21. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: One of the bridges damaged in the floods ___ been repaired.

    • A. are
    • B. have
    • C. were
    • D. has

  17. Q22. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The teacher ___ all the papers by the time the bell rings.

    • A. checked
    • B. had checked
    • C. will have checked
    • D. has checked

  18. Q23. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Bread and butter ___ his usual breakfast.

    • A. have been
    • B. were
    • C. are
    • D. is

  19. Q24. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The jury ___ divided in their opinions about the verdict.

    • A. is
    • B. were
    • C. was
    • D. has

  20. Q25. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Not only the students but also the principal ___ present at the ceremony.

    • A. are
    • B. were
    • C. was
    • D. have been

  21. Q26. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I ___ this novel twice, and I still find it gripping.

    • A. have read
    • B. had read
    • C. am reading
    • D. was reading

  22. Q27. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Every boy and every girl in the class ___ given a certificate.

    • A. have been
    • B. are
    • C. was
    • D. were

  23. Q28. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: They ___ for two hours before the bus finally came.

    • A. have been waiting
    • B. had been waiting
    • C. will wait
    • D. are waiting

  24. Q29. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The police ___ investigating the theft at the warehouse.

    • A. are
    • B. has
    • C. was
    • D. is

  25. Q30. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

    • A. The quality of these mangoes is excellent.
    • B. The quality of these mangoes have been excellent.
    • C. The quality of these mangoes were excellent.
    • D. The quality of these mangoes are excellent.