Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
 I went to the airport _____ to meet her, but she didn't arrive.
A) To have expected
B) Expecting
C) To expect
D) To be expected

Answer 1

Hint: A gerund is an instance where a verb is used as a noun in a very specific way! You do this by altering the verb's infinitive form and adding "ing" at the end.

Complete answer:
The word in the blank functions as a noun in this particular phrase, thus becoming the subject of the phrase and also as a verb by taking up the object. This means we will like a gerund in the blank space.
Gerunds are words that act as nouns with verbs and end with 'ing' .

Now lets see options :
A) To have expected : expected is in past tense and is not gerund which we require to fill in the blanks thus this option is wrong .
B) Expecting : expecting is gerund as it works as noun as well as verb and also ending with -ing thus this option is correct.
C) To expect : expect is in present tense but sentence is in past tense and expect is not ending with -ing thus its not gerund therefore this option is wrong too.
D) To be expected : to be expected is past participle as well as present tense and it doesn't end with -ing means it's not gerund thus this is the wrong option.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘B’

Note: The Gerund has nominal and verbal properties as a consequence of its origin and development. The Gerund's nominal characteristics are as follows:

i) The gerund may perform subject, object and predicate functions:
example “Smoking is jeopardising your wellbeing”
ii) A preposition may be followed by a gerund: “I'm tired of having debates”
 iii) Like a noun, in the possessive case, the gerund may be changed by a noun, a possessive adjective or an adjective: “I wonder how John stays calm”.