Choose the correct form of tense given in the option :
She (play) the sitar since 6 o'clock this morning. He just (stop).

Question

Choose the correct form of tense given in the option : 
She (play) the sitar since 6 o'clock this morning. He just (stop).

Accepted Answer

Option 3, "has been playing, has just stopped," is the correct answer because it uses the correct tenses to accurately describe the actions.

*   **"has been playing"**: This is the present perfect continuous tense. It is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. In this case, "She has been playing the sitar" indicates that she started playing at 6 o'clock this morning and is still playing now. The use of "since 6 o'clock this morning" necessitates the present perfect continuous tense.

*   **"has just stopped"**: This is the present perfect tense. It is used to describe an action that happened in the recent past and has a connection to the present. "He has just stopped" indicates that he stopped very recently, and the effect of him stopping is still relevant. The word "just" is a common indicator of the present perfect tense.

Now, let's explain why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Option 1: "playing, stops"**: "playing" is not a complete verb phrase and doesn't fit grammatically in the first part of the sentence. "stops" is in the simple present tense, which would imply a habitual action, not something that has been happening since a specific time.

*   **Option 2: "was played, stopping"**: "was played" is in the passive voice and doesn't make sense in the context of the sentence. The sitar is being played *by* her, not *to* her. "stopping" is a present participle and needs a helping verb to form a complete verb phrase.

*   **Option 4: "have been playing, stopped"**: "have been playing" is incorrect because the subject is "She," which is singular. The correct auxiliary verb to use with "She" in the present perfect continuous tense is "has," not "have." "stopped" is in the simple past tense, which doesn't convey the recentness implied by the word "just." The present perfect tense ("has just stopped") is more appropriate.