Choose the correct verb form to fill in the blank:
The new hostel cook ______ friendly and cheerful, though none of us has tasted his rajma yet.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → seems
Simple present with “seem”:
- Verbs of the mind or of how something appears, like know, believe and seem, show a state, not an action.
- They do not take the -ing form.
- So we use the simple present, “seems”, for how the cook appears now.
- Clue word: “has tasted ... yet” shows the sentence is about the present.
- Complete sentence: The new hostel cook seems friendly and cheerful, though none of us has tasted his rajma yet.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: is seeming — Incorrect.
- “Is seeming” is the present continuous: am / is / are + V-ing.
- It is used for actions going on now, and “seem” does not take -ing.
- Example: Sameer is ironing his uniform.
Option 2: was seeming — Incorrect.
- “Was seeming” is the past continuous: was / were + V-ing.
- It is used for actions going on at a past moment, and “seem” does not take -ing.
- Example: The children were singing when the principal walked in.
Option 3: has been seeming — Incorrect.
- “Has been seeming” is the present perfect continuous: has been + V-ing.
- It is used for actions that go on over a stretch of time, and “seem” does not take -ing.
- Example: Anu has been knitting a sweater since Monday.