Sentence Correction

A frightening storm has been lashing South Padre Island, fD.mng Natalie and Todd to postpone
their wedding.

according to MGMAT this sentence is correct... my Q is that why we can not use simple past in underlined portion of sentence?

Very legitimate. I would also ask so. Destroyers, titans?

Thank you!

A frightening storm has been lashing South Padre Island.

This sentence means that South Padre Island is facing frightening storm for some time now. It is a recurring event. The use of present perfect continuous limits the duration of the event. That is, from the sentence, we know for sure that South Padre Island is facing the problem of the storm for some time now. But the storm may stop in future. It may not continue forever.

For example: The sun rises in the east. This is a universal truth. There is no way that sun can ever rise from any other direction in coming days. So, simple present is used to state that this action cannot be altered. The moment we say, The sun has been rising form the east, it will mean that so far the sun rises in the East, but in future, it may rise from west or north, or for that matter any direction.

Coming back to our sentence, if we say: A frightening storm lashes South Padre Island, this will mean that this event cannot be altered. South Padre Island is and will always be lashed by frightening storm. The statement becomes a universal truth. This changes the meaning od the statement.

So, the use of present perfect limits the scope of continuation of an event. It is used for events that may change in the future.
Thanks.

mehrasa wrote:A frightening storm has been lashing South Padre Island, fD.mng Natalie and Todd to postpone
their wedding.

according to MGMAT this sentence is correct... my Q is that why we can not use simple past in underlined portion of sentence?

because if we use simple past i.e lashed instead of has been lashing then it will no more mean that the frightening storm is still there and there is no use of postponing the wedding............has been lashing means the action is still taking place and you don't know about the immediate future till what time it will take and therefore, makes sense for postponing the wedding

Simple past would have worked in such a scenario:

A frightening storm lashed South Padre Island and forced Natalie and Todd to postpone
their wedding.

Since we have.."forcing Natalie and..." , it means it is still forcing them to postpone their wedding..

One more Q here:
How about this one? Is it right?
A frightening storm is lashing SP island, forcing N and T to postpone their wedding.

Another related question I had was that what's the difference between these sentences:

a) Clark has been owned a car since he turned 18

b) Clark has been owning a car since he turned 18

Is there a meaning difference?

Another related question I had was that what's the difference between these sentences:

a) Clark has been owned a car since he turned 18

b) Clark has been owning a car since he turned 18

Is there a meaning difference?

a) Clark has been owned a car since he turned 18
Sentence sounds incorrect.

has been + verb+ing - present perfect particle
has been + owning is the correct format.