Question

Andrew Wiles proved that Fermat's Last Theorem was true.
Choose the option that best corrects the underlined word.
a) is
b) will be
c) is being
d) NO CHANGE

Answer 1

Hint: A correction is something substituted for an error. Correcting is the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right.

Complete answer:
Before solving the given question, let us recall what tenses are. Tense is a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time.
We have to replace ‘was’ (a simple past tense form of ‘be’) with the correct tense of the verb ‘be’.
Let us thus analyze the options given to us in this question:
Option (a.), 'is', refers to the simple present tense form of the verb ‘be’.
Therefore, option (a.) is correct as the given sentence indicates that the theory of Fermat is true today, which means the verb should be in the present tense.

Option (b.), ‘will be', refers to the future tense form of the verb ‘be’.
Therefore, option (b.) is incorrect

Option (c.), ‘is being', refers to the present continuous form of the verb ‘be’.
Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as the verb should be in simple present and not present continuous.

Option (d.), ‘NO CHANGE', suggests no change or correction in the sentence.
Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect as the sentence is incorrect and requires a change, which is changing ‘was’ to ‘is’.

Note:
In this question, it will be helpful for the student to recall what simple present tense is. It is a verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking. Present continuous tense is a tense that describes an ongoing action in the present. In English, it is formed by the use of a form of being with a present participle.