Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
My grandfather ______ three small shops in Chandni Chowk, but he has rented out two of them to his old friends.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → owns
Simple present with a verb of owning:
- Verbs of the mind or of owning, like know, own and belong, show a state, not an action.
- They do not take the -ing form.
- So we use the simple present, “owns”, for what is true now.
- Clue word: “has rented out” shows that the shops are still his now.
- Complete sentence: My grandfather owns three small shops in Chandni Chowk, but he has rented out two of them to his old friends.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: is owning — Incorrect.
- “Is owning” is the present continuous: am / is / are + V-ing.
- It is used for actions going on now, and “own” does not take -ing.
- Example: My uncle is building a house in Nashik.
Option 3: has been owning — Incorrect.
- “Has been owning” is the present perfect continuous: has been + V-ing.
- It is used for actions that go on over a stretch of time, and “own” does not take -ing.
- Example: Riya has been painting since morning.
Option 4: was owning — Incorrect.
- “Was owning” is the past continuous: was / were + V-ing.
- It is used for actions going on at a past moment, and “own” does not take -ing.
- Example: We were playing carrom when the lights went out.