Question

Choose the correct word/phrase to complete the sentence.
Sid ______ keeping well. Please take him to the school nurse.

• A. hadn't had
• B. haven't been
• C. hasn't been
• D. hasn't had

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

hasn't been

The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an event which has started in the past and is continuing. It is represented by "Subject+ has/ have + been + verb in continuous tense".

In the given sentence, the subject, "Sid" appears to have been unwell in the past. As he is still unwell, the speaker is requesting that he be taken to the school nurse. Hence, the first sentence is in present perfect continuous tense.

"Sid" is the subject. As it is in third person singular form, the auxiliary "has not" is to be used. "Hasn't been" is the short form of "has not been". The word, "keeping" is the present continuous form of the main verb, "keep".

The correct sentence would be: "Sid hasn't been keeping well". Hence, option C is correct.

Option B: The word, "haven't" is the shortened version of "have not". The auxiliary, "have/ have not" is used with first person singular (I have not), second person singular (You have not), and with first/ second/ third person plural (We all have not). It cannot be used with third person singular subject (Sid). Hence, this option is incorrect.

Options A and D: In the words, "hadn't' had" and "hasn't had", the second word "had" is a main verb i.e the past participle of "have", which means: to possess. There is another main verb in the sentence i.e "keeping". A sentence cannot have two main verbs, one after another. It does not convey any meaning. Hence, both these options are incorrect.