Improve the verb phrase has been belonging in the sentence This palace has been belonging to our family since generations by choosing the correct tense form.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement question tests your understanding of English verb forms, especially how to use present perfect with stative verbs. The original sentence is This palace has been belonging to our family since generations, where the bracketed part has been belonging is grammatically awkward. Examinations often include such questions to check whether candidates can recognise correct aspect and tense for verbs that describe states rather than actions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The full sentence to improve is This palace has been belonging to our family since generations.

The underlined or bracketed portion is has been belonging.

The intended meaning is that the palace has been in the possession of the family for a long time up to the present.

The options suggest different verb forms: has belonging, has belonged, belonged, and no improvement.

Concept / Approach:
The verb belong is usually a stative verb that describes a state of possession or relationship. Stative verbs are rarely used in continuous or progressive forms such as is belonging or has been belonging in standard English. To express a state that started in the past and continues up to the present, we commonly use the present perfect simple, not the present perfect continuous, especially with stative verbs. Thus, has belonged is the correct form. The phrase since generations is better expressed as for generations, but the test focuses only on the bracketed verb phrase, so we correct that part and keep the rest unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify belong as a stative verb of possession, similar to own and have when used for relations and ownership. Step 2: Recall that stative verbs normally use simple tenses rather than continuous forms, so has been belonging should be examined closely. Step 3: Decide which tense expresses an action or state that started in the past and continues to the present. The answer is the present perfect simple, has belonged. Step 4: Replace has been belonging with has belonged to create the corrected sentence This palace has belonged to our family since generations. Step 5: Confirm that other options such as has belonging or simple past belonged do not correctly express the intended ongoing state into the present.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare three versions: This palace belonged to our family since generations suggests a completed state and sounds incorrect with since. This palace has been belonging to our family is not standard because belong is stative and does not take the continuous form in this meaning. This palace has belonged to our family for generations correctly shows that the state began in the past and continues up to now. Grammar references regularly mark belong as a verb that does not usually appear in progressive forms when it indicates possession, which confirms that has belonged is the right choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A has belonging is ungrammatical, because belonging is a present participle or gerund and cannot directly follow has in this structure. Option C belonged is simple past and does not fit well with since generations, which normally calls for a present perfect tense to show continuity. Option D no improvement would keep has been belonging, which is an incorrect continuous form for a stative verb of possession in standard English.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to apply continuous forms mechanically whenever a duration is mentioned with since or for, without checking whether the verb is stative or dynamic. Learners sometimes think that every long lasting situation must use a form like has been plus ing, but this is not true for verbs such as know, believe, own, and belong. Another pitfall is ignoring small but important preposition differences such as for generations versus since generations, although in this question the test focuses mainly on the verb form. To avoid errors, always check whether the verb describes an action or a state and choose simple or continuous aspects accordingly.

Final Answer:
has belonged