Question

Complete the sentence using a suitable option-
“Are you in a hurry?”
“No, I've got plenty of time. I _______.”
a) Will wait
b) Would wait
c) Shall wait
d) Can wait

Answer 1

Hint: Read the given sentence carefully. Try to make out the subject, predicate, and object of the sentence. Make out the meaning and the reply of it as well.

Complete answer:
 In the given question, we have to figure out the complete reply to the given statement. We are provided with half of the reply. Pay attention to the tense of the given statement, as we have to align it with the correct answer as well. We have to choose the correct future tense form of the word 'wait' from among the four given options.
Now, let us examine all the given options to find out the correct answer :
Option 'a' is Will wait. 'Will' is a verb which is expressing the future tense. It cannot be used in the given blank as here, 'can' would be much more appropriate that 'will'. So, we will eliminate this option.
Option 'b' is Would wait. 'Would' is the past tense of 'will' in various series. It expresses a conditional mood, so it cannot be used in the given sentence.
Option 'c' is Shall wait. 'Shall' is a verb in the first person, expressing the future tense. It cannot be used in the given blank so we will eliminate this option.
Option 'd' is can wait. It is a verb that means 'to be able to'. It is the correct and most appropriate verb to be filled in the given sentence.
Hence, option 'd' is the correct option. The complete reply would be - "No, I've got plenty of time. I can wait."

Note:
The auxiliary verb 'will' is used primarily in the future tense. On the other hand, the verb 'can' is used in the sense of 'ability'. In other words, the verb 'can' indicates 'ability', but it does not indicate future tense as 'will' does. This is the main difference between the two words.