Select the option that has used the correct tense.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Yesterday, we were painting the door when a neighbour stopped by to say hello.
Error concept: The error is in the use of tense to describe a past continuous action interrupted by a simple past action.
What is wrong: The other options incorrectly mix past, present, and future tenses.
Grammatical concept: When talking about an action in progress in the past interrupted by another past action, the structure is:
Past continuous + simple past
Incorrectness of the concept in context
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“was painting” with “stopping” is wrong.
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“will be painting” is future, not past.
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“are painting” is present, not past.
How to correct: Use were painting for ongoing past action and stopped for the interrupting action.
Correct phrase/ correction: “Yesterday, we were painting the door when a neighbour stopped by to say hello.”
Final sentence: Yesterday, we were painting the door when a neighbour stopped by to say hello.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.