Directions: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the…
2022
Directions: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. One day, a few hunters came into the forest and took the lion with them. They tied him up (1) ______ a tree. The lion was (2) ______ to get away and started to whimper. (3) ______, a mouse walked past and noticed the lion in trouble. He quickly ran and (4) ______ on the ropes to set the lion free. Both of them then (5) ______ into the jungle.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
Answer: C. struggling — ConceptA progressive verb phrase uses a form of be followed by a present participle ending in -ing. When the auxiliary is was or were, the phrase presents an…
- A.
struggles
- B.
struggle
- C.
struggling
- D.
struggled
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
A progressive verb phrase uses a form of be followed by a present participle ending in -ing.
When the auxiliary is was or were, the phrase presents an action as continuing at a point in the past.
Application
The passage says the lion was in the middle of an effort to escape: “The lion was ___ to get away.” The auxiliary was therefore requires the present participle struggling, forming “was struggling.”
Contrast
struggles is a finite simple-present form used with a third-person singular subject.
struggle is the base form, commonly used after to or a modal verb.
struggled is a simple-past or past-participle form and does not create the progressive construction with was.
Cross-check
Replacing the blank gives “The lion was struggling to get away,” which has the expected was + -ing structure and describes an ongoing past action.
Result
The word that completes blank 2 is struggling.