Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
When I arrived home in the evening, everybody __________ out.

• A. were
• B. has gone
• C. had gone
• D. is

Answer 1

The correct option is C had gone

The given sentence mentions two events, that happened one after another. In that case one event is in the past perfect and the other is in the simple past tense. In the sentence, one action is already given "I arrived", which is in the simple past.

Option C: 'Had gone' is in the past perfect tense: it indicates an action that completed in the past. It agrees to the sentenced in terms of tense and sequence. Hence this option is correct.

Option A: 'Were' indicates the simple past tense. Since one action is already in the simple past, we have to use the past perfect.

Option B: 'Has gone' is in the present perfect tense whereas the actions happened in the past.

Option D: 'Is' is in the simple present tense whereas the sentence is in the past.

Hence options A, B and D are incorrect.