Q1.
Complete the following story using the words given in the box.
since, however, because, when
Gopi completed his work ................ he wanted to go outside and play. ................ when he reached the playground nobody was there. ................ his friends were yet to join him, he decided to take a walk. After 15 minutes, five of them came and everyone started to discuss the games. They decided to play hopscotch ................ they got to know that Ramani would not be joining them.
Answer
Here is the completed story. The four answers are in bold.
Gopi completed his work because he wanted to go outside and play. However, when he reached the playground nobody was there. Since his friends were yet to join him, he decided to take a walk. After 15 minutes, five of them came and everyone started to discuss the games. They decided to play hopscotch when they got to know that Ramani would not be joining them.
Now the reason for each blank:
| Blank | Answer | The little rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gopi completed his work ___ he wanted to go outside and play. | because | Use because to give the reason for something. Why did he finish his work? So that he could go and play. |
| 2. ___ when he reached the playground nobody was there. | However | Use however when the next thing is a surprise, the opposite of what you expected. He hurried — but the ground was empty. |
| 3. ___ his friends were yet to join him, he decided to take a walk. | Since | Use since at the start of a sentence to give a reason. It means the same as “as” or “because”. |
| 4. They decided to play hopscotch ___ they got to know that Ramani would not be joining them. | when | Use when to say at what time something happened. They chose hopscotch at the moment they heard about Ramani. |
Why because and since cannot swap places here: Both give a reason, and both are correct English. But blank 3 begins the sentence, and since is the natural word at the beginning of a sentence. Blank 1 joins two halves in the middle, where because sits best. Also, each word in the box may be used only once — so once you have used because, blank 3 must take since.
Check it yourself: All four words in the box are used, and each one only once. If a word is left over, one of your blanks is wrong. Also remember the capital letters — However and Since begin sentences, so they take a capital.