Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option.
Who’s the girl? I can’t remember _____________ her before.
A) To see
B) If I see
C) Seeing
D) Did I see

Answer 1

Hint: The given sentence already contains the main verb 'can't'. The answer must be a non-finite verb. The words 'can't remember' suggests that the action was real but the subject does not remember about it. Thus, the answer must suggest that the action was real.

Complete answer:
It is very important to read the sentence very carefully and understand what the sentence demands so that the correct answer can be delivered. Gerund plays an important role in framing the correct sentence. Gerund is the -ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun.

Option A) To see – is an incorrect answer because ‘to see’ is a non-infinite verb of the infinitive form, and infinitive explains something is unreal and abstract. However, the sentence suggests that the subject’s action was real. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Option B) If I see – is an incorrect answer because ‘if I see’ is a conjunction. Thus, the presence of a verb is not incorrect, but the action of having seen the girl is complete, the main verb must be in the present perfect tense and not in the past tense because the rest of the sentence is in the present tense. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Option C) Seeing – is the correct answer because ‘seeing’ is a non-infinitive verb but in the gerund form. Gerunds are used to indicate the real actions (because the sentence also indicates the real actions of the subject). So, this is the correct answer because the subject’s actions are real.
Option D) Did I see – is an incorrect answer because ‘did I see’ does not contain the main verb but it contains conjunctions. The sentence will be grammatically incorrect if the sentence contains two main verbs. Thus, this option will be grammatically incorrect and thus, this is an incorrect answer.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: Out of all the options, Option c ‘seeing’ is the most appropriate answer because ‘seeing’ defines the gerunds and gerunds explains the real action of the subject. For example: playing, running, swimming etc. This is true that the subject forgets about the girl and is unable to recall her.