have used
are using
were using
had been using E. used
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
The correct answer is: E. used
The sentence is in the past tense, so the correct answer must be a past tense verb. Of the five options, only “used” is a past tense verb.
- “Have used” is the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
- “Are using” is the present tense, which is used to talk about actions that are happening right now.
- “Were using” is the past progressive tense, which is used to talk about actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
- “Had been using” is the past perfect progressive tense, which is used to talk about actions that had been happening for a period of time before a specific time in the past.
In this case, the sentence is talking about a general practice that has been used for many centuries. Therefore, the correct answer is “used.”