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Which of the two sentences below is the better or more likely?
  • a)
    Someone has taken my dictionary!
  • b)
    Someone has been taking my dictionary!
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Which of the two sentences below is the better or more likely?a)Someon...

Background:

The question asks for the better or more likely sentence between two options.

Analysis:

A: "Someone has taken my dictionary!"


  • The sentence is in the present perfect tense.

  • It suggests that the action of taking the dictionary occurred at an unspecified time in the past and has a connection to the present.

  • This sentence implies that the dictionary is currently missing.


B: "Someone has been taking my dictionary!"


  • The sentence is in the present perfect continuous tense.

  • It indicates that the action of taking the dictionary started in the past, continued for a period of time, and may still be ongoing.

  • This sentence implies that the dictionary has been taken multiple times.



Based on the information provided, the better or more likely sentence is A: "Someone has taken my dictionary!"


  • Since there is no indication of multiple occurrences of the action, the continuous form in sentence B is not necessary.

  • The simple past tense in sentence A suggests a single instance of the action, which is more likely in this context.


Conclusion:

The sentence "Someone has taken my dictionary!" is the better or more likely option between the two given sentences.
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Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the question as follow:It is not uncommon for close synonyms to be understood to share the same meaning. The difference between words like “hard” and “difficult”, for example, goes tragically unnoticed. One may employ one or the other with complete indifference, postulating no discrepancy between them. In general, this is well and good; most people lack the scrupulous pedanticalness to quibble over such trifles. Nevertheless, for those of us with ample compulsiveness (and tim e), it is of significant value to comprehend such nuances.Take for example the following sentences: 1) The test was hard. 2) The test was difficult. Is the difference between these synonyms readily apparent? Is there a noticeable difference between them at all? Indeed, these questions are valid and warrant answers. For, what would be the point to having multiple words with the exact same meaning? No, that would be superfluous; the English language being far too economical.While many close synonyms share similar, if not the same, dictionary definitions, the feeling, or mood, they convey is utterly singular. Although a dictionary can provide information about word meanings, pronunciations, etymologies, inflected forms, derived forms, etc., it cannot communicate how it feels to use a word.Granted, the notion that close synonyms can be used interchangeably is prevalent among English speakers. And alas, the dictionary—the text purported to be responsible for clarifying such issues—is of little assistance. In the end, it is left to us, the speakers of the language, those actively responsible for maintaining its sustenance and generation, to understand how these words make us feel and what mood we are inclined to attach to them. Using the examples and insights described above, one may come to recognize these subtle, yet crucial, differences.Q.Which of the following would the author of the passage most likely agreewith?.

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Which of the two sentences below is the better or more likely?a)Someone has takenmy dictionary!b)Someone has been takingmy dictionary!Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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