Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word:She punished the chi...
Understanding the Correct Option: "Telling"
In the sentence "She punished the child for _________ lies," the correct word to fill in the blank is "telling." Here's a detailed explanation of why this is the best choice:
Grammatical Structure
- The sentence requires a gerund, which is a verb form that functions as a noun.
- "Telling" is the gerund form of the verb "tell." Therefore, it can act as a noun in this context.
Analysis of Other Options
- a) Telling: This is the correct answer as it refers to the act of lying.
- b) To tell: This is the infinitive form and does not fit the grammatical structure of the sentence, as it does not act as a noun.
- c) Told: This is the past tense of "tell," which is not suitable for this context.
- d) Tells: This is the present tense form and would not fit the noun requirement of the sentence.
Conclusion
- By using "telling," the sentence conveys that the child was punished for the act of lying.
- Understanding verb forms—gerunds, infinitives, and tenses—is crucial in selecting the correct word to complete a sentence effectively.
Thus, the most appropriate choice is "a) telling."
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word:She punished the chi...
Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. Gerunds also at times are seen to end in 'mg'. In this particular sentence, the word in the blank acts as a noun thus becoming the subject of the sentence and also like a verb by taking up the object. This means that in the blank, we would need a gerund.
Option A: Telling is a gerund as it plays a dual role
Option B: Tell is in the present tense. It is the wrong option
Option C: told is the past tense again. It is the wrong option
Option D: Tells is in the perfect present tense and it does not act as a noun.
Option A is correct