Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.

I have never heard him ________ French.

• A. to speak
• B. speaking
• C. spoken
• D. being spoken
• E. to have spoken

Answer 1

The correct option is B speaking

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 in the blank acts 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 B: Speaking is a gerund as it behaves as a noun in the sentence

Option A: Speak is in the present tense. It is the wrong option

Option C. D and E: Spoken is the past participle

Option B is correct