Choose the best option to complete each sentence.
1The engineers ............... the intermittent fault since dawn, but they still have not identified its cause.
Wrong!
"have been investigating" describes an unfinished activity continuing from dawn to the present.
2The river ............... steadily all week, and the latest forecast says it will continue to rise overnight.
Wrong!
"has been rising" emphasizes a continuing gradual change over the period marked by "all week."
3While the main office is being repaired, Leila ............... at the Riverside branch, where she will remain until Friday.
Wrong!
"has been working" describes a temporary arrangement that began earlier and is still continuing.
4How long ............... with the landlord about the renewal? You said yesterday that the terms were still unresolved.
Wrong!
"have you been negotiating" asks about the duration of an ongoing, unresolved process.
5The decorators ............... the corridor all morning, but they are only halfway along it.
Wrong!
"have been repainting" presents the work as an ongoing activity that is not yet complete.
6Although he goes to bed early, Amir ............... properly for the past month, which may explain his poor concentration.
Wrong!
"hasn't been sleeping" describes a continuing negative pattern over the past month.
7The helpline ............... exactly 86 calls since 9 a.m.; every one is now logged in the system.
Wrong!
"has answered" is used because the exact number highlights completed results rather than the ongoing activity.
8The board ............... the revised policy, so it is now officially in force.
Wrong!
"has approved" presents approval as a completed action with a present result: the policy is now in force.
9Since qualifying, Jon ............... positions at exactly three firms in succession; he joined the latest one in January.
Wrong!
"has held" summarizes a specific number of completed and current experiences up to the present.
10I ............... you about flexible hours for weeks, so I am glad we finally have a chance to talk.
Wrong!
"have been meaning to ask" describes an intention that has continued for weeks and remains relevant now.
11Since the latest update, the software ............... duplicate invoices intermittently, and the developers are still investigating why.
Wrong!
"has been generating" describes a repeated problem continuing since the update.
12The committee ............... whether to relocate the service for several weeks, but it has not reached a decision.
Wrong!
"has been considering" emphasizes an ongoing decision-making process that remains unfinished.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The engineers have been investigating the intermittent fault since dawn, but they still have not identified its cause.
- The river has been rising steadily all week, and the latest forecast says it will continue to rise overnight.
- While the main office is being repaired, Leila has been working at the Riverside branch, where she will remain until Friday.
- How long have you been negotiating with the landlord about the renewal? You said yesterday that the terms were still unresolved.
- The decorators have been repainting the corridor all morning, but they are only halfway along it.
- Although he goes to bed early, Amir hasn’t been sleeping properly for the past month, which may explain his poor concentration.
- The helpline has answered exactly 86 calls since 9 a.m.; every one is now logged in the system.
- The board has approved the revised policy, so it is now officially in force.
- Since qualifying, Jon has held positions at exactly three firms in succession; he joined the latest one in January.
- I have been meaning to ask you about flexible hours for weeks, so I am glad we finally have a chance to talk.
- Since the latest update, the software has been generating duplicate invoices intermittently, and the developers are still investigating why.
- The committee has been considering whether to relocate the service for several weeks, but it has not reached a decision.