Question

I couldn’t help _____________ when you fell down.
A) laughed
B) to laugh
C) at laughing
D) laughing

Answer 1

Hint: According to the question, we need to fill a gerund in the blank space. Firstly, understand the meaning of the Gerund. It is a form of verb which is used as a noun. In simple words, we can use verbs the same as nouns. For Example- Walking is fun. As walking is a verb but here acting as a noun.

Complete answer:
As per the question, we need to find the correct form of the verb ‘laugh’. But we need to find a word which can be used in the place of a noun.

So, let’s analyse the options.
A) Laughed- It is an incorrect answer.
Laughed is a verb in the past tense. Although the tense is correct but verb in a sentence is already there. We need to fill a noun. Hence, it is not suitable.
B) to laugh- It is an incorrect answer.
‘To’ is used to describe any direction or movement. By adding preposition with the verb, it is making the verb into present continuous tense but the given sentence is in past form. Hence, it is inappropriate.
C) at laughing- It is an incorrect answer.
‘At’ is used to specify any place or location. It is used to talk about where an activity is happening. But according to the given sentence, the place is not mentioned anywhere. Hence, it is not right.
D) Laughing- It is the correct answer.
By adding -ing with the verb it is making it as a gerund. It means “laughing” is acting as a noun in the blank space. Because in the given sentence one verb ‘help’ is already there so we need a word which acts as a noun. Thus, it is an appropriate choice.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: The concept of changing forms of verbs can be understand by this -Base form of the verb can be changed into different forms as in auxiliary or gerunds by putting a prefix or suffix to the verb.For example- By adding was, were, has, have and many more we can change into auxiliary whereas ny putting -ing at the end we can change a verb into gerund.