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I have to fill the following sentence with one suitable word. The sentence is:
The proposed delistings are ..... promoted by the US interior Secretary to counter a growing feeling among the Republicans that endangered-species laws do not work.
The solution seems to be "being" (delistings are being promoted).
Why "delistings are promoted" is not correct?
delistings are promoted is grammatically correct in general, but not what English speakers would generally use in this case. are promoted uses the simple present tense. The simple present tense is usually used for general truths, habitual actions, or current conditions. For example, "I drink coffee" (I drink coffee regularly, or every day) or "I am sick" (sick is my condition now).
But in this case, promoting delistings sounds like it is not a general truth, but an action that the Secretary is performing right now. When we're describing an action that's taking place right now, we usually use the present continuous tense.
I drink coffee : simple present tense : I drink coffee regularly or as a habit
I am drinking coffee : present continuous tense: I am drinking coffee right now.
So because the Secretary is doing this now, the present continuous delistings are being promoted is more appropriate and correct.
No word is required, since this is already a correct sentence. That gives you quite a lot of options.
As Kate says, one possibility is to change this from present "are promoted" to present continuous "are being promoted". That changes the meaning somewhat.
Or you can use an adverb such as "are currently promoted", "are unfortunately promoted", or "are inevitably promoted", there are hundreds of possible adverbs, each of which modifies the verb "promoted" to say when, why, or how.
