Choose the correct option Modal to fill in the blank the following sentence.
'I _______ seen her for ages'.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → haven't
Complete sentence: I haven't seen her for ages. "Seen" is a past participle, so it needs the helping verb have. "For ages" means a long period up to now, so the negative present perfect fits.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) wouldn't | "Wouldn't seen" is ungrammatical. A modal needs have before a past participle (wouldn't have seen), and "for ages" up to now needs the present perfect. | – |
| (2) haven't (answer) | Form: have/has + past participle (have seen, has gone). Use: an action or state that began in the past and continues up to now, often with "for" + a period of time. Haven't is strictly a helping verb, not a modal, but it is the only option that completes the sentence. | We haven't had rain for two months. |
| (3) couldn't | "Couldn't seen" is ungrammatical for the same reason: a modal is followed by the base form, not "seen". | – |
| (4) shouldn't | "Shouldn't seen" is ungrammatical, and advice (should) does not fit the sentence. | – |
Contrast: a past participle needs have/has before it (haven't seen). A modal needs "have" in between (wouldn't have seen), never a modal + past participle alone.