Question

Complete the sentence with an auxiliary verb:

'Is Colin here?'

'He ______ five minutes ago but I think he's gone home now.'

• A. is
• B. was
• C. isn't
• D. wasn't

Answer 1

The correct option is B was

The given sentence is in past tense, as the words 'five minutes ago' suggests.

Option B: 'Was' answers the question 'Is' in the positive.

'Was' is the past form of 'is', and relates to the given sentence.

Also, 'was' is an elliptical sentence. Such a sentence omits words that have been mentioned before. In the answer, 'here' has been omitted: 'He was here five minutes ago'.

The auxiliary verb is most appropriate as it is in past tense. Hence option B is correct.

Option A: 'Is' is in the present tense and does not relate to the words 'five minutes ago'.

Option C: 'Isn't' is also in the present tense. It is in the negative and does not agree with the contrast 'but he's gone home now'.

Option D: Similarly, 'wasn't' is also in the negative and does not complete the sentence in meaning, because 'he's gone home now', so it means 'he was here before'.

Hence options A, C and D are wrong.