Question

Fill in the blank with the most suitable option.
Janet _____ some problem. She keeps crying.
A) Must have had
B) Must have
C) Needs to have
D) May have had

Answer 1

Hint: The options given in the question are verbs in different tenses. These different tenses can be determined by the form of the verb and the auxiliary or the modal verbs preceding the main verb. When the main verb is not preceded by an auxiliary verb it is in a simple tense. When it is preceded by one or more auxiliary verbs then it may be in the perfect, continuous, perfect continuous etc.

Complete answer:
In the sentence given in the question, we have a subject i.e. Janet, and we have an object i.e. some problem. To make it a complete sentence it must also have a verb, which is missing. Therefore, we need to fill the blank with an appropriate verb.

Now let us look at the given options:
Option A) Must have had – This option has the helping verb ‘have’ before the main verb ‘had’. This indicates that the sentence is in past perfect tense. But the second sentence in the question is in the present tense. This makes the two sentences inconsistent with each other. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Option B) Must have – This option has a modal verb ‘must’ before the main verb ‘have’. This indicates that the occurrence verb in this sentence is not confirmed. It is a possibility that the subject is having ‘some problem’. Also the verb ‘have’ is in the present tense and consistent in tense with the second sentence. Therefore, this option is correct.
Option C) Needs to have – In this option, we have the helping verb ‘need’, which indicates that there is a requirement for something (in this case, the verb ‘have’). The word ‘problem’ refers to an undesirable situation and hence requiring a problem does not make sense. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Option D) May have had – This option has the word ‘may’ is a modal word that indicates the possibility of ‘Janet having a problem’. The words ‘have had’ are a helping and a main verb indicating that the sentence is in the perfect tense. But we need the sentence to be in the present tense. Therefore, this option is also incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (B) i.e, Janet must have some problem. She keeps crying.

Note: In the question we see the subject crying. This is our evidence. Out of this, we try to make deductions. For this purpose, we use auxiliary verbs called modal verbs. For e.g.
- She must be having some problem. This verb indicates certainty.
- She might be unwell. This verb indicates a possibility.
- She may be stressed. This verb also indicates the possibility
- She cannot be feeling well. This verb also indicates certainty.