SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
Male humpback whales sing long, complex songs that can be heard for many kilometers underwater. Since the 1970s, researchers ______ thousands of hours of these songs, revealing that the songs within a population change gradually from year to year.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
record
will record
have recorded
are recording
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
"Since the 1970s" describes an action that began in the past and continues up to the present. The present perfect tense, "have recorded," expresses that kind of time span.
Choice D describes an action happening right now, but it doesn't fit "since the 1970s," which calls for the present perfect.
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