In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank. All her life Ms Foster had a great fear of missing a train, a plane, a boat, or _____(1)______ a theatre curtain. In other respects, she was not a _____(2)______ nervous woman. But the mere thought of _____(3)______ on occasions like these would throw her _____(4)______ such a nervous state that a tiny muscle in the corner of her left eye would _____(5)_____ twitch. This would disappear once she had boarded the plane etc.
Select the most appropriate option for blank No. 3.
being late
Understanding Fill-in-the-Blanks: Passage Analysis
The question asks us to fill in blank No. 3 in the given passage. The passage describes Ms Foster's fear of missing various modes of transport or events like a theatre curtain. Blank 3 appears in the sentence: "But the mere thought of _____(3)______ on occasions like these would throw her _____(4)______ such a nervous state that a tiny muscle in the corner of her left eye would _____(5)_____ twitch."
We need to choose the most appropriate word or phrase to fit grammatically and contextually in blank (3).
Analyzing Blank No. 3 and Options
The phrase immediately before blank (3) is "the mere thought of". The word "of" is a preposition. In English grammar, prepositions are generally followed by a noun, pronoun, or a gerund (the -ing form of a verb used as a noun). Let's look at the options provided for blank No. 3:
- being late
- be later
- be late
- being later
Evaluating Each Option
- Option 1: being late
This is a gerund phrase. "Being" is the gerund form of the verb "to be". "Being late" functions as a noun phrase, representing the state of arriving after the expected time. This fits grammatically after the preposition "of". Contextually, fearing missing a train, plane, boat, or theatre curtain is directly linked to the fear of arriving late. So, "the mere thought of being late" makes perfect sense in this context.
- Option 2: be later
"Be later" is the base form of the verb "to be" followed by a comparative adverb. This structure is not appropriate after the preposition "of". We need a gerund or a noun form here. Therefore, this option is grammatically incorrect.
- Option 3: be late
"Be late" is the base form of the verb "to be" followed by an adjective. Similar to option 2, this structure is not grammatically correct after the preposition "of". We require a gerund or a noun. Thus, this option is grammatically incorrect.
- Option 4: being later
This is also a gerund phrase. "Being later" implies being later than some other point in time or event. While grammatically possible after "of", the context is about the fear of *being late* for a specific event (train, plane, show). "Being late" is a more direct and natural way to express the fear of not being on time and thus missing the event. "Being later" suggests a comparison that isn't explicitly needed or implied as the primary fear.
Conclusion: Selecting the Most Appropriate Option
Comparing the options, options 2 and 3 are grammatically incorrect because a preposition ("of") must be followed by a gerund or noun, not the base form of a verb. Between options 1 ("being late") and 4 ("being later"), both are grammatically possible gerund phrases. However, in the context of fearing missing specific timed events like trains or shows, the fear is directly related to the state of "being late". Option 1 is the most natural, appropriate, and common way to express this idea.
Therefore, the most appropriate option for blank No. 3 is "being late".
The sentence correctly filled would be: "But the mere thought of being late on occasions like these would throw her..."
Revision Table: Key Grammatical Points
| Grammatical Rule | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Preposition + Gerund/Noun | After most prepositions (like of, in, on, for, about), a verb should be in its -ing form (gerund) if it follows the preposition. Alternatively, the preposition can be followed by a noun or pronoun. | She is good at singing. I dream of travelling the world. He talked about his plans. |
| Gerund vs. Base Form/Infinitive | Gerunds (-ing form used as a noun) can function as subjects, objects, or follow prepositions. Base forms or infinitives (to + verb) have different uses and typically do not follow prepositions like "of" in this structure. | Swimming is fun (Gerund as subject). He likes to swim (Infinitive as object). The idea of swimming appealed to him (Gerund after preposition). |
Additional Information: Vocabulary and Context Clues
Understanding the meaning of words and phrases is crucial for fill-in-the-blank questions. In this passage:
- "the mere thought of": This phrase emphasizes that just thinking about the possibility is enough to cause a reaction.
- "on occasions like these": This refers back to the examples given previously – missing a train, plane, boat, or theatre curtain. These are all events tied to specific times.
- "nervous state": This describes the anxious condition she falls into.
- "twitch": This refers to an involuntary muscle spasm, a physical manifestation of her nervousness.
These context clues strongly support the idea that the fear is related to not arriving on time, i.e., being late.
Remember that successful vocabulary and grammar usage often depends on selecting the word or phrase that fits both the grammatical structure and the overall meaning and tone of the passage.
Important Questions from Grammar Based Questions
Select the most appropriate option for blank No. 5.
Select the most appropriate option for blank No. 4.
Select the most appropriate option for blank No. 2.
