WAEC 2013 English Language · Question 93

They kept quiet all the …

Question

From the words or group of words lettered A to D, choose the word or group of words that best completes the sentence below. They kept quiet all the .......

A.where
B.period
C.while
D.interval

Answer: C. while

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The sentence is "They kept quiet all the ......." We need a word that fits after "all the" to make a natural, grammatical expression.

Explain the concept: In English, "all the while" is a fixed idiomatic phrase meaning "during the whole time that something else was happening" (for example, "She kept smiling all the while"). Here, "while" works as a noun in this phrase, meaning "a period of time".

Test each option:

A. "all the where" is not a valid English expression.
B. "all the period" is awkward and unidiomatic. We would say "throughout the period" or "during the whole period".
C. "all the while" is a correct, common idiom. It fits perfectly: "They kept quiet all the while."
D. "all the interval" is unnatural. We would say "during the interval".

Answer: The correct option is C. while.

Tip: Some English phrases are fixed idioms, so you cannot swap in synonyms. "All the while" is one of them. "Period" and "interval" mean similar things, but they do not work in this phrase. When two options look similar in meaning, choose the one that sounds like a phrase you have heard or read often.

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