Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
I always enjoyed ______ in that lake in summer.
(a)to have swum
(b)been swimming
(c)to swimming
(d)swimming

Answer 1

Hint: There is a very specific part of speech that should be used after the verb ‘enjoyed’ especially since this seems to be a habitual action. Try to identify it.

Complete answer: A gerund is any of various non-finite verb forms in various languages; most often, but not exclusively, one that functions as a noun. This means that the verb also functions as a noun for the sentence. It is formed by adding ‘-ing’ to the root verb.

For example, with the given verb ‘enjoy’, one has to use a non-finite verb after it. However, an infinitive cannot be used, as there is no mention of ‘to’ in the sentence. The only option we are left with is a gerund.
Now, we know what we are looking for. Let’s look at the given options:
(a)to have swum - This option is in the present perfect tense, but it also has a ‘to’ before it. This transforms it into an infinitive. It is not a gerund. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
(b)been swimming - This option is in the continuous tense. This does not fit into the given sentence. It is not a gerund. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
(c)to swimming - This option is grammatically incorrect. This does not fit into the given sentence. It is not a gerund. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
(d)swimming - This option is in the continuous tense. This fits perfectly into the given sentence, as it is a gerund. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.

Note: Make sure that the chosen option completes the given sentence. Incorrect option will change the sentence. Choose the verb that is in the correct form, and is grammatically correct.