Question

Complete the sentence with one of the following verbs in the correct form:
come/get/happen/look/make/start/stay/try/work
‘You ____ hard today.’ ‘Yes, I have a lot to do.’
a) are working
b) are looking
c) are coming
d) have got

Answer 1

Hint: The second sentence already tells us the one tense used. Look for pointers suggesting which tense to use. The actions are ongoing in the given sentence. These pointers are indicators of certain tenses.

Complete answer:
 In grammar, tense is a category that expresses time reference. Tenses are usually manifested by the use of specific forms of verbs, particularly in their conjugation patterns.
The main tenses found in many languages include the past, present, and future. The second sentence is in the present tense. So, we need to look at the present tenses.
The present continuous (also called present progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing action is happening now, either at the moment of speech or now in a larger sense. The present continuous is formed using am/is/are + present participle. This is the most appropriate tense for the given sentence.

Now we know what we are looking for. Let’s look at the given options-
a) are working - The word ‘work’ refers to ‘activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result’. This phrase fits perfectly into the given sentence. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
b) are looking - The word ‘look’ refers to ‘direct one's gaze toward someone or something or in a specified direction'. This is not the required verb. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
c) are coming - The word ‘come’ refers to ‘move or travel towards or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker’. This is not the required verb. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d) have got - This phrase is in the present perfect tense. This is not in the required tense. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
Choose the most appropriate option given the context of the sentence. Make sure all the forms of a verb are aligning with each other and work with each other perfectly.