Correct Answer:
B. ate
The error in the sentence "He has ate the food" is found in the word "ate". This sentence attempts to use the present perfect tense, but it incorrectly uses the simple past form of the verb "eat" instead of its past participle.
- The present perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb "has" or "have" followed by the past participle of the main verb.
- For the verb "to eat," the forms are:
- Base form: eat
- Simple past: ate
- Past participle: eaten
- In the given sentence, "He has" correctly sets up the present perfect tense. However, "ate" is the simple past form, not the past participle.
- To form the correct present perfect tense, the past participle "eaten" should be used.
- Therefore, the sentence should be corrected to "He has eaten the food."
Using the correct verb forms, especially past participles with auxiliary verbs, is essential for accurate tense construction in English grammar.