Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by choosing the correct option: "You are what you (have eaten)."

Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement question is based on a well known English proverb used in health and lifestyle contexts. The proverb is typically used in the simple present tense, and the question tests whether you recognise the standard form or accept an awkward variation such as "have eaten".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Original sentence: "You are what you have eaten."
• Bracketed phrase: "have eaten".
• Options: will eat, eat, shall eat, no improvement.
• The sentence expresses a general truth about how food influences a person.

Concept / Approach:
General truths, proverbs, and habitual facts in English are usually expressed in the simple present tense. The accepted proverb is "You are what you eat", meaning that your health and body reflect the food you regularly consume. Using present perfect ("have eaten") would shift the focus to completed past actions rather than an ongoing general principle, which is less natural here.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the sentence resembles a proverb about diet and health. Step 2: Recall the standard form: "You are what you eat." Step 3: Analyse "have eaten". Present perfect tense suggests actions completed before now, which may be relevant in some contexts but sounds awkward in a proverb that expresses a universal idea. Step 4: Examine option (B) "eat". Simple present tense indicates general, habitual action, which fits proverbs well. Step 5: Consider "will eat" and "shall eat". These future forms change the meaning to refer to what a person will eat later, not the general truth. Step 6: Conclude that "eat" is the best replacement and that "no improvement" is incorrect.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare: Correct: "You are what you eat." (general principle about diet and identity) Incorrect: "You are what you have eaten." (clumsy and not the standard proverb) The first version is widely recognised, sounds natural, and is commonly quoted in health advice. This confirms that the bracketed part should be "eat".

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option (A) "will eat" shifts the focus to future meals, which does not match the timeless, general nature of the proverb. Option (C) "shall eat" is similarly future oriented and sounds formal, which is not suitable here. Option (D) "no improvement" is incorrect because the given phrase "have eaten" does not reflect the standard proverb and is stylistically weak.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may overthink the grammar and accept present perfect because it sounds more complicated, assuming that exam setters always prefer complex tenses. However, simplicity is often appropriate, especially with proverbs and general statements. When a sentence resembles a known saying, recall the exact form of the saying before choosing an option.

Final Answer:
The bracketed phrase should be replaced with "eat", yielding the natural proverb: "You are what you eat."