Final answer:
The sentence "Eleanor has dreamt of being a doctor since she was a little girl" uses the present perfect tense. This tense connects an action from the past that is still ongoing or relevant to the present. It is formed with 'has' and the past participle 'dreamt'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct verb tense in the sentence "Eleanor has dreamt of being a doctor since she was a little girl" is the present perfect tense. This tense is used to describe an action that began in the past and continues to the present. It is formed using the auxiliary verb 'has' along with the past participle 'dreamt'.
When writing or speaking about actions that started in the past and are still relevant or ongoing, the present perfect tense maintains verb tense consistency, connecting past experiences or actions to the present. In this case, 'has dreamt' indicates that Eleanor's dream began in the past and is still relevant to her current aspirations. In literature, maintaining consistent verb tense is crucial for clarity. Irregular verbs such as 'dreamt' follow their own rules for past tense and past participle forms, unlike regular verbs that simply add -d or -ed.