Question

I have know her for so long because we have live next door to each other for 12 years. A. know her for so long because we have live B. know her for so long because we have lived C. known her for so long because we have living D. know her for so long because we have been living E. known her for so long because we have lived

Short answer

E. known her for so long because we have lived

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Tense

First, identify the tense of the sentence. The sentence talks about an action that started in the past and is still continuing, indicating the use of perfect or perfect continuous tense.

Analyze the Verb 'Know/ Known'

The correct form of the verb 'to know' in the past perfect context is 'known'. Thus, 'I have known her...' should be used.

Evaluate the Second Part of the Sentence

The second part of the sentence talks about living next door for 12 years. This action also started in the past and is still continuing. The correct form here should be in the present perfect tense, making 'we have lived' appropriate.

Eliminate Incorrect Options

Now that we've identified the correct forms, eliminate options that do not match. Correct forms are 'known her' and 'have lived'.

Select the Correct Sentence

Option E: 'I have known her for so long because we have lived next door to each other for 12 years.' This option correctly uses both 'known' and 'have lived'.

Key concepts

present perfect tense

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present or have an effect on the present moment. It combines the present tense of the verb 'to have' (have/has) with the past participle of the main verb. For example, in the sentence 'I have known her for so long,' the action of knowing began in the past and continues into the present. To form the present perfect tense correctly:

• Use 'have' or 'has' (depending on the subject).
• Add the past participle form of the main verb.

In our exercise, 'I have known her' is correctly using the present perfect tense to indicate knowledge that started in the past and continues now.

verb conjugation

Verb conjugation involves changing the form of a verb to provide additional information about the action being performed, which could include tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, or number. In English, verb conjugation can be simple or complex depending on the verb and the tense. Regular verbs typically add -ed for past forms, while irregular verbs may change entirely. In the provided sentence:
'know' should be conjugated to 'known' when used with 'have' to form the present perfect tense.

• For regular verbs, the past participle is usually formed by adding -ed (e.g., 'live' becomes 'lived').

In the sentence, 'we have lived next door for 12 years' correctly conjugates 'live' to 'lived' in the present perfect tense.

past perfect tense

The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. It is formed using the past tense of the verb 'to have' (had) plus the past participle of the main verb. For example: 'She had finished her homework before dinner.' The past perfect tense is essential for establishing a clear sequence of events that occurred in the past. While our exercise did not require past perfect tense, it’s important to recognize its function in grammar.
To form the past perfect tense correctly:

• Use 'had'.
• Add the past participle of the main verb.

Understanding how to use different perfect tenses helps in creating clear and precise narratives in both writing and speech.

grammar rules

Grammar rules provide the structure we need to form coherent and understandable sentences. They cover a wide range of topics including verb tense, conjugation, sentence structure, and punctuation. Key grammar rules to remember when studying verb tenses include:

• Ensure subject-verb agreement (singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs).
• Use the correct verb tense to match the timeframe of the action.
• Conjugate verbs correctly to match the subject and tense.

In our exercise, by using 'I have known her for so long because we have lived next door to each other for 12 years,' we adhere to grammar rules by using consistent tenses and correct conjugations, ensuring the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to understand.