Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the best out of the available options to fill the blank against the question.

In the last three hundred years, man has created a magnificent industrial society, produced machines that do much of the work for him and _______.

  1. gathering an ever-increasing knowledge of the universe

  2. an ever-increasing knowledge of the universe has been gathered

  3. gathered an ever-increasing knowledge of the universe

  4. has gathered an ever-increasing knowledge of the universe

  5. has been gathering an ever-increasing knowledge of the universe
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence uses present perfect tense 'has created' and 'has produced' (hidden in 'produced'). To maintain parallel structure, the third item should also use present perfect. However, looking at the structure carefully, it's actually 'has created', 'produced' (simple past), and then we need simple past 'gathered' to match the second verb. Option C maintains the correct tense structure.

Keep practicing — related questions