Usage of tenses (It ... quite often in Britain during the winter)

[Mr Linguaphile]

It ---- quite often in Britain during the winter.

A) snows
B) is snowing
C) snowed
D) has snowed
E) will snow

Which ones can go into the blank? I think A, C and E can. What do you think?

[Jimb0678]

Snows, as it is a general observation. C would only fit if a specific Winter was given i.e. "The winter of 1972". E could work, but 'quite a lot' would me preferable in the future tense.

[Barb_D]

Shoot, even D would work, if you wanted to talk about the effects of global warming and the lack of snow that is expected in the future.

But I'm willing to bet the examiner wants C.

[Mister Micawber]

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Does anyone know if it snows quite often in Britain during the winter? I thought it usually rained.
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[Alan]

Hi,

Where I live just north of London, rain is usually on the menu but further north certainly towards Scotland, snow in the winter is the norm. And guess what - it's raining right now as I type!

Alan
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