Class 9 CBSE English — Chapter 20: Grammar: Sequence of Tenses MCQs with Answers
60 practice questions · 20 Easy · 20 Medium · 20 Hard
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE English questions from Chapter 20, "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" — 60 NCERT-aligned multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations. The set is split into 20 Easy, 20 Medium and 20 Hard, so you can warm up on the fundamentals and then push into the exam-level problems that separate top scorers in CBSE Board exams.
"Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" is one of the chapters where comprehension, grammar and writing-skill questions really pays off. Each MCQ on this chapter is timed and uses exam-grade marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped), training the accuracy-under-pressure that real papers demand. Every question carries a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson rather than a dead end — the fastest way to close gaps before a test.
Use this chapter as targeted revision: attempt the Easy set first to confirm your basics on Grammar: Sequence of Tenses, then move to Medium and Hard to test application and problem-solving. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically, and the chapter feeds into your overall Class 9 English mastery score. 12 sample questions are solved in full below — answer and worked explanation — and signing in free opens all 60.
Class 9 English Grammar: Sequence of Tenses MCQs with answers
12 solved questions across the difficulty levels this chapter is graded on — answer and explanation shown for each. The remaining 48 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Fill in the blank: 'He said that he ___ very tired after the long journey.'
A.was✓ CorrectB.isC.will beD.has beenAnswer: A. was
Explanation: A past main verb pulls the clause that follows into the past.
- Q2Easy
Fill in the blank: 'She told me that she ___ finished her homework.'
A.will haveB.is havingC.had✓ CorrectD.hasAnswer: C. had
Explanation: An action completed before a past moment takes the past perfect.
- Q3Easy
Fill in the blank: 'Our teacher said that honesty ___ the best policy.'
A.would beB.is✓ CorrectC.wasD.had beenAnswer: B. is
Explanation: A universal truth keeps its present tense even after a past reporting verb.
- Q4Easy
Fill in the blank: 'I knew that he ___ come to the function.'
A.willB.shallC.canD.would✓ CorrectAnswer: D. would
Explanation: 'Will' shifts to 'would' when the main clause is in the past.
- Q5Easy
Fill in the blank: 'If it rains tomorrow, we ___ stay indoors.'
A.shall haveB.hadC.will✓ CorrectD.wouldAnswer: C. will
Explanation: A Type 1 conditional pairs the present in the 'if' clause with 'will' in the main clause.
- Q6Medium
Identify the error: 'He said that he will help me with the project tomorrow.'
A.will should be would✓ CorrectB.said should be saysC.help should be helpedD.tomorrow should be todayAnswer: A. will should be would
Explanation: After a past reporting verb 'will' must become 'would'.
- Q7Medium
Identify the error: 'The teacher said that water boiled at hundred degrees Celsius.'
A.water should be the waterB.hundred should be a hundredC.boiled should be boils✓ CorrectD.said should be toldAnswer: C. boiled should be boils
Explanation: A universal truth is exempt from the backshift rule.
- Q8Medium
Rearrange: 'she / that / knew / would / he / not / come'
A.Knew she that he would not come.B.She knew that he would not come.✓ CorrectC.She knew he that would not come.D.That she knew he would not come.Answer: B. She knew that he would not come.
Explanation: The main clause comes first, then 'that' introduces the reported clause.
- Q9Medium
Identify the error: 'I will inform you as soon as I will receive the letter.'
A.first will inform should be informB.as soon as should be as long asC.letter should be a letterD.second will receive should be receive✓ CorrectAnswer: D. second will receive should be receive
Explanation: A future time clause never carries 'will'.
- Q10Hard
Choose the sentence with correct sequence throughout.
A.He told us that he had been living there since he was a child.✓ CorrectB.He told us that he has been living there since he is a child.C.He told us that he is living there since he was a child.D.He told us that he lived there since he has been a child.Answer: A. He told us that he had been living there since he was a child.
Explanation: The duration shifts to the past perfect continuous while the 'since' clause takes the simple past.
- Q11Hard
Which sentence correctly keeps a present tense after a past reporting verb?
A.The guide said that the museum had opened at ten every morning.B.The guide said that the museum would open at ten every morning.C.The guide said that the museum opens at ten every morning.✓ CorrectD.The guide said that the museum opened at ten every morning and still does.Answer: C. The guide said that the museum opens at ten every morning.
Explanation: A standing arrangement that is still true may keep the present tense.
- Q12Hard
Choose the sentence with the correct sequence of tenses.
A.If he comes early, we finished the work before noon.B.If he comes early, we shall finish the work before noon.✓ CorrectC.If he will come early, we shall finish the work before noon.D.If he came early, we shall finish the work before noon.Answer: B. If he comes early, we shall finish the work before noon.
Explanation: A Type 1 conditional keeps the present in the 'if' clause and a future form in the main clause.
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Start this chapter free →Grammar: Sequence of Tenses — FAQs
What does Class 9 English Chapter 20 (Grammar: Sequence of Tenses) cover on XamBaaz?+
It covers 60 NCERT-aligned MCQs on "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" — 20 Easy, 20 Medium and 20 Hard — each with a timed quiz and an instant explanation, suitable for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" questions free to practise?+
Yes — sign in with Google to practise "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year (limited-time launch price), with no per-chapter charges.
How should I revise "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to confirm your fundamentals, then attempt Medium and Hard for application-level practice. Review each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy on this chapter until it is consistently high.
Are these "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 12 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to practise all 60 questions with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses" quizzes?+
Yes — the timed quizzes use exam-grade marking: +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skipped question. Note that MHT-CET and the CBSE board papers themselves carry no negative marking — our mocks for those are scored their way, not this way.
Are these important questions for Grammar: Sequence of Tenses?+
The set is curated to the NCERT syllabus and weighted toward the question patterns that actually appear in CBSE Board exams, across Easy, Medium and Hard — so it doubles as an "important questions" revision list for "Grammar: Sequence of Tenses".