Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.

The man ____ in the garden is listening to music.

• A. work
• B. is working
• C. working
• D. to work
• E. worked

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

working

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 A and D: Finish is in the present tense. Both of them do not behave as nouns.

Option B: Is working is in the continuous present tense.

Option C: Finishing is a gerund as it behaves as a noun as well as a verb in the sentence

Option E: worked is in the past tense and it does not act as a noun.

Option C is correct