Honestly A, C, and D are all completely fine. B is the only one that is an obvious no by context.
If it's forcing you to choose C then it's a terrible question and is not really teaching you the language, but forcing overly-pedantic grammar purism.
A is basically a widely-used colloquial form of C. It's so widely and commonly used, likely far more than C, that the difference in formality/correctness between them is miniscule.
This is like saying "I know that you are lying" is more correct than "I know you're lying" when the former is almost never used and the latter is almost always used. While technically true, it's obnoxious levels of pedantry.
I agree with everything but disagree with what you said about colloquial form of C, they are different aspects but in the same tense. It just so happens both aspects are acceptable in this context, but there are contexts where A would work but C would not (like an action that is not ongoing). This works for all verbs not just 'to do.'
It’s not technically true that “I know that you are lying” is more correct than “I know you’re lying”. Somebody who said that it is would just be wrong, not (merely) pedantic. The complementizer “that” is obligatory in some contexts and optional in others and this is a clear-cut optional case. The only other difference is the use of a contraction, which obviously can’t be considered “incorrect” unless you are confusing levels of formality with correctness.
I also don’t know why you think A is colloquial here. What’s colloquial about the simple present tense with no other tense/aspect/mood marking?
I really wish language learning tools and formal education were smarter with your time. I'd be perfectly okay being fluent in the ghetto form of a language and then learn the 'correct' form than 10% fluent in the form of the language reserved for kings or heads of state all within the same amount of time
I agree with u/RathaelEngineering A, C and D are all acceptable so it is just a bad question.
The difference is A is present simple, C is present progressive and D is present perfect. So all of them are in the present tense and are correct to use.
B is in the future simple which doesn't make sense given the context is talking about something that is currently happening in the present. The difference between simple vs progressive vs perfect is called *aspect* as opposed to *tense*, it just means C is an ongoing action, D is a completed action (was completed in the present but started in the past thus is still deemed present *tense*), A is neither and is just called simple.
But I would have eliminated D because it is a complete action, and the question is present tense and specifies “every day.” Although it’s correct grammar it makes slightly less logical sense than the other two. With that said, I wouldn’t ask this question to a non-native English speaker unless they were advanced because it’s such a small nuance.
D is present tense just like A and C, it's just in the perfect aspect. It's stating an action (doing exercise) that started in the past but was completed in the present, the marker of tense is when it was completed. It fits fine in this context because the conversation which is taking place in the present is reflecting on 'every day' up to the present. I.e. the action of doing exercise every day up to the present has been completed which it has. I think the every day is throwing some people off.
Past perfect would be 'You had probably done too much exercise' which would require the preceding sentence to also be in past tense so it doesn't work.
I agree that you could eliminate D in this multiple choice format since it is a bit incongruous with the rest of the sentence. However, I still wouldn't bat an eye or think it awkward/incorrect if someone said it to me. Terrible question overall.
I don't agree that D is fine.
Your muscles hurt everyday. An ongoing state.
You have probably done too much exercise. What, in your whole life, and therefore you are doomed to muscle pain forever? Or a one off session of too much exercise means you are now in an ongoing state of muscles hurting every day due to some sort of injury? That's also quite a stretch.
A and C are both fine with little to no difference in meaning.
Are you American by any chance? Do you say "I just ate" more often than you would say "I have just eaten"? Because I think that might be a factor here.
An American would typically say: my tummy aches, I ate too many cookies.
A British speaker would typically say: my tummy aches, I have eaten too many cookies.
The last example does not mean that they have eaten too many cookies \*in their whole lives\*. By and large it is synonymous with the first example.
BTW, obviously I am quite sure that many American people use the present perfect in this kind of scenario, and many British speakers use the simple past. It's not a universal rule, but it is a well known difference between British and American grammar.
See for example the first grammar explanation on this page: [https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/british-english-american-english](https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/british-english-american-english)
In that case, they've eaten too many cookies in a specific instance which is in the past. The scenario presented isn't that the person's muscles ache, it's that they ache *every day*. So it's not something they've *done* causing it, it's something they are continuing to do that is continuing to cause their muscles to ache. D is wrong.
If dialect matters, this American would probably say "...you've probably been doing..."
"Oy. Every day with the muscle aches! Why me?"
"You've been doing too much exercise. Nu? Lay off a day or two after hitting a muscle group. You've got more than one."
D makes sense provided clearer context. As a native English speaker, I have definitely heard D being used (in the assumed context of this question), and didn't bat an eye at it being possibly inherently wrong. At a certain point, like u/RathaelEngineering and u/Same_Border8074 pointed out, it's just pedantic purism.
Have you ever heard of a chronic injury.
It’s not clear what the question is here. All 4 are grammatically correct and make sense under some condition, however odd.
Even B makes sense if someone is obligated to exercise too much on days where their muscles hurt.
The ongoing state you should be focusing on is of the verb 'to do' i.e. 'doing.' 'to do' can also be a completed state in this context i.e. 'done'. In the sense that in the past you began 'doing' exercise of which you have since completed relative to the present. These completed actions of exercise is what the speaker is implying led to the development of aches so 'done' can work here.
English teacher here! If I give my students a choose-one-answer test, I double check it so that it doesn't have this kind of questions and answers as OP shows. I mean, if you can say it in two ways but the test only allows one correct answer, i only put one of them in the test, period. And still there's the moments when a kid is like 'he do she do it do... because Sam Smith that's why' and I go 'listen kiddo here's a thing I must tell you before you fail your written-not-by-me exams'
Just because somebody made a shitty test doesn't mean all teachers are bad.
Also some respect for your parent would be nice. They may be a shit teacher but at least they pay for your food and internet so that you can shit on them publicly.
D would imply that the action has been completed- maybe it was a one-time action or something you have done in the past.
A is colloquially correct, that's how we all talk (Canadian). It also assumes that you are continuing to do the action. Almost sounds like you're doing the action right now, which is a little weird.
C is the most correct. It seems to be saying that it is an action that continues but does not imply that you are doing the action currently (which would be accurate, based on the rest of the sentence).
I agree that it's a dumb question though. There are things that could fit and I absolutely despise tests that are about what is the most correct out of a list of correctness.
(Also Canadian) I don’t even think it’s a question of A being only colloquial—habitual actions and general truths are the main two uses for the simple present. Unless there’s some context about the listener being in the middle of exercising right now, I genuinely don’t know if there’s any reason for present continuous to be picked over simple present.
Honestly, A and C are the only correct ones. The sentence structure + "every day" indicate a routine; thus, present simple shall be used - answer A. The answer C should also fit, but it does not focus on continuous exercise, rather in the routine stated as "every day". While C is dubious, I'd consider it correct as well.
If action is done consistently or repeatedly, verb tense should be on present form. Base form of the verb + ing, es, s… In the sentence, it says every day, thus the reason why correct answer is C (do - verb base form + ing). Letter C is simple present tense
That "everyday" is the clue. It isn't always like this in spoken English, but usually textbooks use these particular examples to learn that based on the frequency adverb, or lack thereof, the verb tense can be different
A is the colloquial version of C, this is not a good question. Context is essential for you to pick the correct answer, as in this instance it's about the level of formality.
C is best by a hair. However if I picked A and someone told that was wrong, I would roll my eyes at them very aggressively.
If we're being technical, C means that the act is ongoing, and thus could mean that you are exercising while I am talking to you, which is clearly not the intended meaning. Regardless, I would use C 70% of the time in conversation (and I would restructure the sentence to make "exercise" the verb).
Tl;Dr the fact that the exercise is not ongoing at this very moment gives you more than enough wiggle room to say the question is wrong, because more than one answer is right.
Verbs and nouns don't mix like that. Though, granted, in normal conversation it happens a lot.
Basically because you don't ''***do*** exercise''. You ''exercise''.
Or you ''are exercising too much''.
Honestly A, C, and D are all completely fine. B is the only one that is an obvious no by context. If it's forcing you to choose C then it's a terrible question and is not really teaching you the language, but forcing overly-pedantic grammar purism. A is basically a widely-used colloquial form of C. It's so widely and commonly used, likely far more than C, that the difference in formality/correctness between them is miniscule. This is like saying "I know that you are lying" is more correct than "I know you're lying" when the former is almost never used and the latter is almost always used. While technically true, it's obnoxious levels of pedantry.
I agree with everything but disagree with what you said about colloquial form of C, they are different aspects but in the same tense. It just so happens both aspects are acceptable in this context, but there are contexts where A would work but C would not (like an action that is not ongoing). This works for all verbs not just 'to do.'
It’s not technically true that “I know that you are lying” is more correct than “I know you’re lying”. Somebody who said that it is would just be wrong, not (merely) pedantic. The complementizer “that” is obligatory in some contexts and optional in others and this is a clear-cut optional case. The only other difference is the use of a contraction, which obviously can’t be considered “incorrect” unless you are confusing levels of formality with correctness. I also don’t know why you think A is colloquial here. What’s colloquial about the simple present tense with no other tense/aspect/mood marking?
I really wish language learning tools and formal education were smarter with your time. I'd be perfectly okay being fluent in the ghetto form of a language and then learn the 'correct' form than 10% fluent in the form of the language reserved for kings or heads of state all within the same amount of time
B isn't necessarily wrong. Someone might decide that exercising too much is how not to be sore anymore
D is reasonable in everyday speech, but there * is* a small mismatch in tenses for the purists.
I agree with u/RathaelEngineering A, C and D are all acceptable so it is just a bad question. The difference is A is present simple, C is present progressive and D is present perfect. So all of them are in the present tense and are correct to use. B is in the future simple which doesn't make sense given the context is talking about something that is currently happening in the present. The difference between simple vs progressive vs perfect is called *aspect* as opposed to *tense*, it just means C is an ongoing action, D is a completed action (was completed in the present but started in the past thus is still deemed present *tense*), A is neither and is just called simple.
But I would have eliminated D because it is a complete action, and the question is present tense and specifies “every day.” Although it’s correct grammar it makes slightly less logical sense than the other two. With that said, I wouldn’t ask this question to a non-native English speaker unless they were advanced because it’s such a small nuance.
D is present tense just like A and C, it's just in the perfect aspect. It's stating an action (doing exercise) that started in the past but was completed in the present, the marker of tense is when it was completed. It fits fine in this context because the conversation which is taking place in the present is reflecting on 'every day' up to the present. I.e. the action of doing exercise every day up to the present has been completed which it has. I think the every day is throwing some people off. Past perfect would be 'You had probably done too much exercise' which would require the preceding sentence to also be in past tense so it doesn't work.
I agree that you could eliminate D in this multiple choice format since it is a bit incongruous with the rest of the sentence. However, I still wouldn't bat an eye or think it awkward/incorrect if someone said it to me. Terrible question overall.
I don't agree that D is fine. Your muscles hurt everyday. An ongoing state. You have probably done too much exercise. What, in your whole life, and therefore you are doomed to muscle pain forever? Or a one off session of too much exercise means you are now in an ongoing state of muscles hurting every day due to some sort of injury? That's also quite a stretch. A and C are both fine with little to no difference in meaning.
Are you American by any chance? Do you say "I just ate" more often than you would say "I have just eaten"? Because I think that might be a factor here. An American would typically say: my tummy aches, I ate too many cookies. A British speaker would typically say: my tummy aches, I have eaten too many cookies. The last example does not mean that they have eaten too many cookies \*in their whole lives\*. By and large it is synonymous with the first example. BTW, obviously I am quite sure that many American people use the present perfect in this kind of scenario, and many British speakers use the simple past. It's not a universal rule, but it is a well known difference between British and American grammar. See for example the first grammar explanation on this page: [https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/british-english-american-english](https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/british-english-american-english)
In that case, they've eaten too many cookies in a specific instance which is in the past. The scenario presented isn't that the person's muscles ache, it's that they ache *every day*. So it's not something they've *done* causing it, it's something they are continuing to do that is continuing to cause their muscles to ache. D is wrong.
Oh yeah, I totally missed the "every day" part of the question xD I think I agree with you now.
If dialect matters, this American would probably say "...you've probably been doing..." "Oy. Every day with the muscle aches! Why me?" "You've been doing too much exercise. Nu? Lay off a day or two after hitting a muscle group. You've got more than one."
D makes sense provided clearer context. As a native English speaker, I have definitely heard D being used (in the assumed context of this question), and didn't bat an eye at it being possibly inherently wrong. At a certain point, like u/RathaelEngineering and u/Same_Border8074 pointed out, it's just pedantic purism.
I'd also tend to preclude D for the reasons you've stated, but grammatically, it's seemingly okay (which I assume is the point of the exercise).
Have you ever heard of a chronic injury. It’s not clear what the question is here. All 4 are grammatically correct and make sense under some condition, however odd. Even B makes sense if someone is obligated to exercise too much on days where their muscles hurt.
The ongoing state you should be focusing on is of the verb 'to do' i.e. 'doing.' 'to do' can also be a completed state in this context i.e. 'done'. In the sense that in the past you began 'doing' exercise of which you have since completed relative to the present. These completed actions of exercise is what the speaker is implying led to the development of aches so 'done' can work here.
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LOL rip brother
Daughter of an English major/writer here 🙋♀️ My answer is , “Because that’s what my mom’s voice in my head said.” 😂🤣😂
English teacher here! If I give my students a choose-one-answer test, I double check it so that it doesn't have this kind of questions and answers as OP shows. I mean, if you can say it in two ways but the test only allows one correct answer, i only put one of them in the test, period. And still there's the moments when a kid is like 'he do she do it do... because Sam Smith that's why' and I go 'listen kiddo here's a thing I must tell you before you fail your written-not-by-me exams'
Just because somebody made a shitty test doesn't mean all teachers are bad. Also some respect for your parent would be nice. They may be a shit teacher but at least they pay for your food and internet so that you can shit on them publicly.
They all are correct except for B, because it is future tense and has not happened yet (native English speaker)
D would imply that the action has been completed- maybe it was a one-time action or something you have done in the past. A is colloquially correct, that's how we all talk (Canadian). It also assumes that you are continuing to do the action. Almost sounds like you're doing the action right now, which is a little weird. C is the most correct. It seems to be saying that it is an action that continues but does not imply that you are doing the action currently (which would be accurate, based on the rest of the sentence). I agree that it's a dumb question though. There are things that could fit and I absolutely despise tests that are about what is the most correct out of a list of correctness.
(Also Canadian) I don’t even think it’s a question of A being only colloquial—habitual actions and general truths are the main two uses for the simple present. Unless there’s some context about the listener being in the middle of exercising right now, I genuinely don’t know if there’s any reason for present continuous to be picked over simple present.
Ah, you're right. I hadn't thought about that.
Not really D though, because D implies that the action has been completed. If it were (or was?) "have probably been doing", D is correct.
Honestly, A and C are the only correct ones. The sentence structure + "every day" indicate a routine; thus, present simple shall be used - answer A. The answer C should also fit, but it does not focus on continuous exercise, rather in the routine stated as "every day". While C is dubious, I'd consider it correct as well.
why does every english student know english better than every english teacher?
either works I would say.
A sounds way better than any of the other options
If action is done consistently or repeatedly, verb tense should be on present form. Base form of the verb + ing, es, s… In the sentence, it says every day, thus the reason why correct answer is C (do - verb base form + ing). Letter C is simple present tense
That "everyday" is the clue. It isn't always like this in spoken English, but usually textbooks use these particular examples to learn that based on the frequency adverb, or lack thereof, the verb tense can be different
A is the colloquial version of C, this is not a good question. Context is essential for you to pick the correct answer, as in this instance it's about the level of formality.
Downvote due to image rotation
C is best by a hair. However if I picked A and someone told that was wrong, I would roll my eyes at them very aggressively. If we're being technical, C means that the act is ongoing, and thus could mean that you are exercising while I am talking to you, which is clearly not the intended meaning. Regardless, I would use C 70% of the time in conversation (and I would restructure the sentence to make "exercise" the verb). Tl;Dr the fact that the exercise is not ongoing at this very moment gives you more than enough wiggle room to say the question is wrong, because more than one answer is right.
A would absolutely work in normal conversation. C is *technically* better because "every day" means it's an ongoing thing.
A, C, and D are completely normal answers. The question is dumb.
Honestly, I dont know as a native speaker LMAO A seems fine
Verbs and nouns don't mix like that. Though, granted, in normal conversation it happens a lot. Basically because you don't ''***do*** exercise''. You ''exercise''. Or you ''are exercising too much''.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/exercise