Question

Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence:
I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ English for seven years.
A. Have been learning
B. Have learned
C. Have learnt
D. Learned

Answer 1

Hint: Verbs are words that show action (sing), occurrence (develop), or state of being (exist). Almost every sentence requires a verb. A verb is the part of a sentence that tells us what the subject performs. For example, Jacob walks in the morning.

Complete answer:
In order to fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb, let's understand the tense of the sentence.
The words 'for seven years' explain to us that the action started in the past and is still continuing in the present, and is unfinished. Hence, we must use present perfect continuous tense.

Option A) Have been learning – It is the correct option because 'Have been learning' can be used here, as the words have been' explain to us that the action started in the past and the participle form 'learning' explains to us that the action is continuing in the present and is unfinished. Hence, option A is the correct answer.

Option B) Have learned – this option is not correct because Have learned' is the present perfect tense. Here the action is completed. The given sentence states that the action is still continuing. Hence, option B is incorrect.

Option C) Have learnt - this option is not correct because Have learnt is grammatically not correct as we use the third form/past participle form of the verb with 'have' to form present perfect tense. As we need the present perfect continuous tense, we can't use 'have learnt'. Hence, option C is incorrect.

Option D) Learned - this option is not correct because 'Learned' is the past form of the verb 'learn', which is used when the action is completed. Hence, option D is incorrect.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note:There are some important rules of verbs and they are: If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. When the subject of the sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb. So as per the rules option, A is the most appropriate answer as compared to any other option.