Question

Fill in the blank with a suitable option:
A: Is it still raining?
B: No, it _______ (Stop).
A) Will stop
B) Is stopping
C) Has stopped
D) Have stopped

Answer 1

Hint:Verb tenses that expresses time references. Verbs come in three tenses: past, present, and future. Past tense is used to describe things that have already happened, present tense talks about the activities that are happening right now and future tense when things are yet to happen in the future.

Complete answer:
Present perfect tense is used to link between present and the past and it is also referring to an event that happened in the past and that has present consequences also. Like here in this question the conversation between A and B is in the present perfect tense.
Option A) Will stop – is an incorrect answer because ‘will stop’ means may be in future or in some time rain will stop. But the sentence ‘Is it still raining?’ is in present tense so the answer should also be in present tense. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option B) Is stopping – is an incorrect answer because ‘is stopping’ means ‘preventing the flow of rain’ and this is not suitable in the blank and this is an incorrect answer.
Option C) Has stopped – is the correct answer because ‘has stopped’ means ‘that something has started but now no longer continues’ and this is the perfect fit in the blank. B replies that no, now the rain has stopped. Thus, this is the correct answer.
Option D) Have stopped – is an incorrect answer ‘have’ is used with the pronoun I, you, we and it also indicates the possession in the present tense. So, the use of ‘have stopped’ is grammatically incorrect.
A: Is it still raining?
B: No, it has stopped (Stop). (Option C)

Hence the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note:Here, to give the perfect answer that suits well in the blank present perfect tense is used. Students should not get confused with the present perfect tense and present perfect continuous. Present perfect continuous tense is related to something that has started in the past and is continuing at the present time and it is formed by using has / have been + the present participle (root + ing). So, option C is the most appropriate answer as it satisfies the condition of the present perfect tense.