<p>2 First run in 1867 and still taking place every summer, the Belmont Stakes, a horse race for thoroughbred three-year-olds, (was )one of the oldest races in the United States.</p>
<p>Answer is "is"
i chose "has been"...why am i wrong?</p>
<p>and
2.(In addition to) (being) a talented pianist and composer, B</p>
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The Belmont Stakes wasn’t always one of the oldest races in the United States. When it first came out, it was new, and at that time, obviously, it wasn’t one of the oldest races in the United States. So it’s arbitrary to say “The Belmont Stakes has been one of the oldest races in the U.S.” but it’s factually correct to say “In the present, it is one of the oldest races in the U.S.” For example, if a green apple turns red, then you can say that the apple is red, but it would not necessarily be correct to say that the apple has been red, because once upon a time it was not red.
[quote]
2.(In addition to) (being) a talented pianist and composer, B</p>
<p>Crazybandit, I like and agree with most of your explanations. However, I think your explanation in response to the B</p>
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“having” is still a gerund, so it has no tense. I see your point, but it would not be correct to say *In addition to having been a talented pianist and composer, B</p>
<p>Thanks, crazybandit, I buy your last explanation that “being” is a gerund in this context–should have thought of that. </p>
<p>Are there other forms in addition to “being” and “having been” that have different tenses? I am having a hard time coming up with any, but the absence of other forms seems like a defect in English structure.</p>