ECAT — Engineering College Admission Test (UET)

ECAT English — Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement (Set 3)

Take the ECAT English — Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement (Set 3): 30 multiple-choice questions (40 minutes) with instant scoring and a full answer…

What this test covers

30 ECAT English

Sample questions with answers

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

Q1. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: No sooner had the bell rung ___ the students rushed out of the hall.
- A. than ✓
- B. that
- C. when
- D. then
Answer: A. than
Explanation: 'No sooner' is followed by 'than' (No sooner had … than …).
Q2. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: This is the first time I ___ such a magnificent fort.
- A. have seen ✓
- B. had seen
- C. saw
- D. am seeing
Answer: A. have seen
Explanation: After 'This is the first time', the present perfect is used.
Q3. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: She ___ the piano for ten years before she gave her first public concert.
- A. had been playing ✓
- B. has been playing
- C. is playing
- D. was playing
Answer: A. had been playing
Explanation: An action continuing up to an earlier past event ('before she gave…') takes the past perfect continuous.
Q4. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The scissors on the table ___ sharp, so handle them carefully.
- A. has been
- B. is
- C. are ✓
- D. was being
Answer: C. are
Explanation: 'Scissors' is a plural-only noun and takes a plural verb; the present tense matches 'handle'.
Q5. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Mathematics ___ one of the most important subjects for an engineer.
- A. have been
- B. is ✓
- C. are
- D. were
Answer: B. is
Explanation: Names of subjects ending in -ics (mathematics) take a singular verb.

The other 25 questions

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

Q6. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The police ___ searching the area for the missing child.
- A. is
- B. has been
- C. was
- D. are
Q7. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: If I ___ you, I would apologise to the teacher at once.
- A. were
- B. would be
- C. had been
- D. am
Q8. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I wish I ___ the answer to that question yesterday.
- A. have known
- B. had known
- C. would know
- D. knew
Q9. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: It is high time you ___ your exam preparation seriously.
- A. are starting
- B. start
- C. started
- D. will start
Q10. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: He asked me where I ___ the previous evening.
- A. had been
- B. have been
- C. will be
- D. am being
Q11. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: By the time you read this letter, I ___ for Karachi.
- A. will leave
- B. would leave
- C. have been leaving
- D. will have left
Q12. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Whenever the power fails, the generator ___ automatically.
- A. has started
- B. will be starting
- C. starts
- D. started
Q13. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: It is three years since my brother ___ abroad.
- A. had gone
- B. has gone
- C. goes
- D. went
Q14. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: He used to ___ early, but now he wakes at seven.
- A. got up
- B. gets up
- C. getting up
- D. get up
Q15. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I have never ___ such delicious biryani.
- A. eaten
- B. been eating
- C. eat
- D. ate
Q16. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I ___ my passport yet, so I cannot book the ticket.
- A. didn't receive
- B. hadn't received
- C. don't receive
- D. haven't received
Q17. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: If the doctor ___ earlier, the patient would have survived.
- A. would arrive
- B. arrived
- C. has arrived
- D. had arrived
Q18. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Unless you ___ harder, you will not pass.
- A. will work
- B. worked
- C. don't work
- D. work
Q19. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I ___ in this city since I was a child.
- A. am living
- B. live
- C. have lived
- D. lived
Q20. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The Himalayas ___ home to the world's highest peaks.
- A. is
- B. was
- C. are
- D. has been
Q21. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: We ___ to Murree this weekend; the tickets are already booked.
- A. went
- B. have gone
- C. go
- D. are going
Q22. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: He said he ___ me the next day.
- A. calls
- B. had called
- C. would call
- D. will call
Q23. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: All that glitters ___ not gold.
- A. are
- B. were
- C. have been
- D. is
Q24. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I will call you as soon as the plane ___.
- A. will land
- B. would land
- C. lands
- D. landed
Q25. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: ___ I known about the delay, I would have left earlier.
- A. Would
- B. Have
- C. Had
- D. Did
Q26. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Should it rain, the match ___ postponed.
- A. will be
- B. was
- C. had been
- D. would have been
Q27. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: The boy who ___ the window yesterday has been punished.
- A. broke
- B. had broken
- C. breaks
- D. has broken
Q28. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: Each boy and each girl ___ expected to wear a uniform.
- A. is
- B. are
- C. have been
- D. were
Q29. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: If she had studied medicine, she ___ a doctor now.
- A. would have been
- B. was
- C. would be
- D. will be
Q30. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank: I was surprised that he recognised me, because I ___ him for years.
- A. have not seen
- B. did not see
- C. am not seeing
- D. had not seen