These WAEC questions on Tenses are all from its sub-topics in the WAEC ENGLISH SYLLABUS.
We have also covered each Tenses sub-topic with detailed explanation in our WAEC English lesson online.
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WAEC Tenses questions
Attempt each question before checking its correct answer and explanation.
Choose the word(s) that best completes each of the following sentences.
WAEC English 2012 (55)
1. John said he had never _____ insulted in his life.
A. so been
B. been so
C. being so
D. so being
SEE ANSWER ✅
“Have, has, had” go with “been” while “is, am, are, was, were” go with “being”. But option (A) does not fit grammatically in this context.
WAEC English 2012 (63)
2. The boys _____ football when the teacher entered the class.
A. are discussing
B. were discussing
C. will be discussing
D. will discuss
SEE ANSWER ✅
The sentence suggests an ongoing action that was happening before another action occurred (past continuous tense) which only option (B) indicates.
WAEC English 2011 (41)
3. When I arrived, I noticed he _____ the kitchen.
A. had swept
B. has swept
C. is sweeping
D. will sweep
SEE ANSWER ✅
The sentence implies that the action of “sweeping” was started and completed in the past before the next action of “arrival” (past perfect tense) – option (A).
WAEC English 2011 (44)
4. The family _____ dinner when we knocked at the door.
A. is having
B. was having
C. had
D. has had
SEE ANSWER ✅
The sentence suggests that the action of having dinner was ongoing when the knock came (past continuous tense) – option (B).
WAEC English 2011 (64)
5. Ali dropped the pot accidentally and it _____
A. was breaking
B. broke
C. breaks
D. had broken
SEE ANSWER ✅
A simple past tense is needed to match the simple past action of Ali. Option (A) is past continuous, (C) is simple present and (D) is past perfect.
WAEC English 2011 (67)
6. As they _____, the thieves broke into the house.
A. had slept
B. are sleeping
C. have been sleeping
D. were sleeping
SEE ANSWER ✅
The sentence implies that the action of sleeping was ongoing (past continuous tense) when the thieves entered the house – option (D).
WAEC English 2010 (53)
7. The cook should have _____ the pepper and the tomatoes together.
A. ground
B. grind
C. grinds
D. grounded
SEE ANSWER ✅
The sentence is in past perfect tense and so, needs a past participle (should have + past participle). The past participle of “grind” is “ground”. Option (D) is incorrect because it is the past tense of “ground” as in making something stable.
WAEC English 2010 (59)
8. The teacher made us _____ five poems each.
A. recite
B. recited
C. recites
D. reciting
SEE ANSWER ✅
After “made” (a causative verb), the next verb must be in its base or root form.
WAEC English 2006 (77)
9. He told his family that he _____ return in three weeks.
A. is returning
B. would return
C. has returned
D. would return
SEE ANSWER ✅
WAEC English 1998 (48)
10. The thief died shortly after _____ shot at by the police.
A. been
B. having
C. becoming
D. being
SEE ANSWER ✅
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