When I arrived, I noticed that he … the kitchen

Analyze the question The sentence is: "When I arrived, I noticed that he ............. the kitchen." We need the verb form that fits the time relationship between the two actions.

Explain the concept When two past events are described, the one that happened earlier goes in the past perfect tense (had + past participle). The later event uses the simple past.

• "I arrived" and "I noticed" are both simple past, so they are the main past events.
• The sweeping was already finished before I arrived and noticed it, so it needs the past perfect.

Step-by-step solution

1. Identify the main past time: arrived / noticed (simple past).
2. Ask which action came first: he swept the kitchen before I arrived.
3. The earlier past action takes the past perfect: had swept.

Checking the other options

• B. has swept is present perfect. It does not fit a past-time narrative.
• C. is sweeping is present continuous. It clashes with the past tense of "noticed."
• D. will sweep is future. It makes no sense after "noticed."

(Note: "was sweeping" would also be possible grammatically, but it is not among the options.)

Correct answer: A. had swept

Exam tip When you see two past actions in one sentence, ask yourself, "Which happened first?" The earlier one takes had + past participle. Words like when, before, after, by the time often signal this pattern.