Out of the given alternatives given choose the most appropriate option.
My mother ___________ the carpet when I got home yesterday afternoon.

Correct option is D

The correct option to fill in the blank is (d) was hoovering.
• Explanation:
– The sentence refers to a past action in progress when another action (you got home) occurred.
– Past continuous tense is used to describe this ongoing action.
• Grammatical rule used:
– For actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past, use was/were + verb + ing.
• Explanation in Hindi:
– जब भूतकाल में कोई कार्य किसी विशेष समय पर चल रहा था, तो “was/were + verb + ing” का प्रयोग होता है।
• Example:
– I was studying when the lights went out. ✅
Meanings of the other options:
• (a) is hoovering ❌
– English: Present continuous – incorrect for past reference.
– Hindi: साफ कर रही है
• (b) has been hoovering ❌
– English: Present perfect continuous – doesn’t match past reference.
– Hindi: कर रही थी (अब तक)
• (c) hoovered ❌
– English: Simple past – not suitable for ongoing action.
– Hindi: साफ किया