Correct Answer:
B. He was reading
The correct translation of 'وہ پڑھ رہا تھا' into English is B: He was reading. This Urdu phrase is in the past continuous tense, indicating an action that was ongoing at some point in the past.
- The word 'وہ' (woh) translates to 'he'.
- The root verb 'پڑھ' (parh) means 'read'.
- The auxiliary phrase 'رہا تھا' (raha tha) is the key indicator of the past continuous tense for a masculine singular subject. 'رہا' signifies the continuous aspect, and 'تھا' signifies the past tense.
Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:
- A: He is reading would be 'وہ پڑھ رہا ہے' (woh parh raha hai), which is present continuous.
- C: He will read would be 'وہ پڑھے گا' (woh parhe ga), which is future simple.
- D: He reads would be 'وہ پڑھتا ہے' (woh parhta hai), which is simple present.
Therefore, 'He was reading' accurately captures the past continuous nature of the original Urdu sentence.