Past Continuous \ Past Perfect or both

[reusableobject]

Hi,

I came across this multiple choice question q on my Internet grammar quiz travels.

The woman _______ the baby when her husband called her.

Options:
a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

Now I can see the author is intending b as the correct answer but as far as I'm concerned all three are correct. Do you agree?

I'd also be interested in how you'd frame this question so that the intended answer is less open to interpretation.

My attempt:

The woman _______ the baby when her husband interrupted her with a question. "Darling, do you know where the remote control is?"

Choose the most likely answer:

a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

I'd appreciate your input.
Thanks
ReusableObject

[Mehrgan]

Hi,

I came across this multiple choice question q on my Internet grammar quiz travels.

The woman _______ the baby when her husband called her.

Options:
a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

Now I can see the author is intending b as the correct answer but as far as I'm concerned all three are correct. Do you agree?

I'd also be interested in how you'd frame this question so that the intended answer is less open to interpretation.

My attempt:

The woman _______ the baby when her husband interrupted her with a question. "Darling, do you know where the remote control is?"

Choose the most likely answer:

a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

I'd appreciate your input.
Thanks
ReusableObject

Hi,
Do you intend to change the stem so that choice b will be the least likely answer?

[Munch]

Hi,
Do you intend to change the stem so that chice b will be the least likely answer?

No, I think Mehrgan trying to make choice b clearly the best answer. The rewording sounds fine to me. I agree that in the original all three answers would fit, but I think most native speakers would choose b as the most likely answer.

[reusableobject]

Thanks guys appreciate the responses.

[Mehrgan]

Hi,

I came across this multiple choice question q on my Internet grammar quiz travels.

The woman _______ the baby when her husband called her.

Options:
a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

Now I can see the author is intending b as the correct answer but as far as I'm concerned all three are correct. Do you agree?


I'd also be interested in how you'd frame this question so that the intended answer is less open to interpretation.

My attempt:

The woman _______ the baby when her husband interrupted her with a question. "Darling, do you know where the remote control is?"

Choose the most likely answer:

a) washed
b) was washing
c) had washed

I'd appreciate your input.
Thanks
ReusableObject

*not a teacher*
It may sound ridiculous to you, but as a non-native speaker I think, for example, an adverb such as "suddenly" makes it more clear that a simple past form (a sudden event, in this case) is needed. Sorry if it sounds unsophisticated, but this, I think, might be one of those possibilities. Thanks.

The woman _______ the baby when suddenly her husband called her.