In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select "no improvement": "Thus we (going) back to what might be termed as old values."

Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement question checks your understanding of tense and auxiliary verb usage in English. The sentence "Thus we (going) back to what might be termed as old values" is describing a completed action in the past: people returned to older values. The underlined or bracketed verb form must be replaced with a correct and natural past tense form that fits the rest of the sentence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Original structure: "Thus we (going) back to what might be termed as old values."
• Options: went, gone, was going, no improvement.
• The adverb "Thus" summarises a previous argument and leads to a result in the past.
• The main clause needs a properly conjugated main verb, not a bare participle.

Concept / Approach:
In standard English, "going" by itself cannot act as the main finite verb in this position; it needs an auxiliary such as "are going" or "were going." Since the sentence is narrating a past conclusion—"Thus we went back"—the simple past tense "went" is the best choice. "Gone" is a past participle that requires an auxiliary verb (have gone), and "was going" suggests an ongoing past action, not a simple completed return to old values.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the intended meaning: the speaker is describing a completed shift back to old values, not a current or continuous process. Step 2: Recognise that "going" alone is incorrect because English sentences require a finite verb form like "go", "went", or "was going" after the subject "we." Step 3: Test "went": "Thus we went back to what might be termed as old values." This is grammatically correct and clearly expresses a finished action in the past. Step 4: Test "gone": "Thus we gone back" is ungrammatical; "gone" must be used with "have" as in "we have gone back." Step 5: Test "was going": "Thus we was going back" is wrong because it has both a subject-verb agreement error ("we was") and a continuous aspect that does not match the summarising nature of "Thus." Step 6: Test "no improvement": leaving "going" in place gives "Thus we going back," which is clearly incorrect, as a sentence cannot use a present participle alone as the main verb here. Step 7: Conclude that "went" is the only grammatically correct and contextually appropriate choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine a fuller narrative: "We rejected certain modern trends, questioned our assumptions, and re-evaluated our beliefs. Thus we went back to what might be termed as old values." In this sequence, the simple past "went" fits naturally with other simple past verbs like "rejected" and "questioned." Trying to insert "gone" or "was going" breaks the flow and either demands more words or shifts the time reference in an awkward way.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Gone" is wrong because it is a past participle that requires an auxiliary verb (for example, "have gone") and cannot stand alone after "we." "Was going" is wrong because it creates an incorrect agreement ("we was") and also emphasises a continuous or interrupted action instead of a completed shift. "No improvement" is wrong because "Thus we going back" is clearly ungrammatical in standard written English.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse "gone" and "went", using "we gone" in speech, but exams require correct standard forms. Another pitfall is to keep the original phrase out of habit, even when it clearly lacks a finite verb. Always check that the subject in a sentence is followed by a properly conjugated verb that matches both tense and number.

Final Answer:
The correct improvement is went, giving "Thus we went back to what might be termed as old values."