We __________ tennis in the lawn when it suddenly started to rain. Select the most appropriate option to complete the above sentence.
have been playing
had been playing
would have been playing
could be playing
The sentence is:
"We __________ tennis in the lawn when it suddenly started to rain."
Let's look at the clue:
"when it suddenly started to rain" – This refers to a past event that interrupted an ongoing action.
The correct tense for an ongoing action in the past that was interrupted by another past action is past perfect continuous.
✅ Correct option: (B) had been playing
Let’s test it in the sentence:
"We had been playing tennis in the lawn when it suddenly started to rain."
✔️ Makes perfect sense — shows an activity that was happening before the rain started.
Other options:
(A) have been playing – ❌ Present perfect continuous; doesn't fit with "suddenly started."
(C) would have been playing – ❌ Suggests a hypothetical condition, not a real past event.
(D) could be playing – ❌ Not consistent with the past event "started to rain."