Question

Choose the correct option to replace the word(s) given in brackets:

She smelt something (burn).

• A. burning
• B. to burn
• C. to burning
• D. burn to

Answer 1

The correct option is A burning

Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. Gerunds also at times are seen to end in 'ing'. In this particular sentence, the word should act as a noun thus becoming the subject of the sentence and as a verb by taking up the object. This means that in the blank, we would need a gerund.

Option A: Burning is a gerund as it behaves as a noun as well as a verb in the sentence

Options C: Although it ends with "-ing", it does not act as a noun.

Option B and Option D: Burn is the present tense of the particular verb. It does not act as a noun

Option A is correct