Fill in the gap with the most appropriate option from the list following the gap.
The president of the union ....... for the airport by the time the riot started?
A
would have left
B
is about leaving
C
was leaving
D
has left
Verified Correct Answer: C.
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
"By the time the riot started," suggests that the action of leaving was either in progress or had already happened when the riot began. "Was leaving" correctly expresses an action that was ongoing at a particular moment in the past.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #10540)