Mrs Godwin ---------------- in this school since 2001

Step 1: Analyze the question The sentence is "Mrs Godwin __ in this school since 2001." The key clue is the word "since 2001", which marks a starting point in the past that continues up to now.

Step 2: The concept When an action began at a specific point in the past and is still going on in the present, we use the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense.

• Structure: has/have + been + verb-ing
• Signal words: since, for, how long

Examples:

• She has been living in Lagos since 2010.
• They have been waiting for two hours.

Step 3: Test each option

• A. taught: Simple past. It describes a finished action and cannot be used with "since." ❌
• B. was teaching: Past continuous. It describes an action in progress at a past moment, not one continuing to now. ❌
• C. teaches: Simple present. It describes a habit or general fact and does not fit "since." ❌
• D. has been teaching: Present perfect continuous. It shows the action started in 2001 and is still continuing. ✅

Step 4: Answer Correct sentence: Mrs Godwin has been teaching in this school since 2001.

💡 Exam tip: Whenever you see "since" or "for" (with a period of time) in a gap-filling question, look for a "has/have been" or "has/have + past participle" option. Simple past and simple present almost never fit with "since."