Question

Read the following sentence and fill the blank using the correct form of the given verb:

BRIAN: Are you doing it alone?

SARAH: No, some friends of mine _____ (help) me.

• A. are helping
• B. were helping
• C. have helped
• D. has helped

Answer 1

The correct option is A are helping

The present continuous tense is formed with the subject plus the present particle form (-ing) of the main verb and the present continuous tense of the verb to be: am, is, are.

In this particular sentence, we can understand that the question is based on something which is happening. The present continuous tense is a grammatical tense that can be used to describe when an action happened, or may happen. You can use it to describe both events that are happening in the present – right now, while you are talking about something, or in the future – something that may or will happen later on. So, we would be using present continuous tense for the given blank.

Now, in continuous tense, the verb always ends with an '-ing', thus this would eliminate option B. "Were" can only used in case of past tense, "have" and "has" can be used alongside pronouns, which makes, A the correct answer