Question

Fill in the blank with a suitable option:
They prefer _______ in a swimming pool all day.
(a)playing
(b)plays
(c)to play
(d)to playing

Answer 1

Hint: The given sentence indicates preference. This means that a very specific kind of non-finite verb will be used to fill the given blank. This verb should be invariable.

Complete answer: When we speak about a specific preference, ‘would rather’ and ‘would prefer’ have the same meaning and are interchangeable. ‘Would prefer’ is followed by ‘to + infinitive’ or a noun.
An infinitive is formed from a verb but doesn’t act as a verb. It acts as either a noun,
adjective, or adverb. It is constructed in the following way: to + verb. These two words
together act as an infinitive. Infinitives are a form of the non-finite verb, meaning they are not subject to change.

Now we know what we are looking for. Let’s look at the given options:
(a)playing - This is a continuous form of the verb ‘play’. It is not invariable, so it is not an infinitive. It does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
(b)plays - This is the present tense form of the verb ‘play’. It is not invariable, so it is not an infinitive. It does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
(c)to play - This option is an infinitive, as it is invariable, and it contains the word ‘to’, which means it is a full infinitive, and it fits into the given sentence. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
(d)to playing - This is a grammatically incorrect phrase. It is not invariable, so it is not an infinitive. It does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note: Understand the meaning of the given sentence, and then go through the given
options. Make sure it is grammatically correct. Then, choose the correct option.