Q21
3 marksMCQSection B

Fill in the blanks: Gavri was only eight years old, but (a) mountain of family responsibilities had already (b) (c) __ her head.

Grammar
Gap Filling

Options

(a)a, the, an, some
(b)descend, descending, descended, descends
(c)over, on, above, in
Official Answer

(a) a — used before the consonant-sound noun phrase 'mountain of responsibilities'. (b) descended — correct past participle required after the auxiliary 'had'. (c) on — correct preposition in the collocation 'descended on (someone)', meaning a burden fell upon them.

adescendedon

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark each for correct filling.

Hint

Look at the tense auxiliary 'had'.

Quick Oral Answer

The sentence completes with 'a', 'descended', and 'on'.

Analysis & Explanation

This is a gap-filling grammar question (3 marks: 1 mark per blank) testing articles, verb forms, and prepositions in context.


Key points

  • (a) Article — 'a' is used before the countable singular noun 'mountain' (of responsibilities), not 'an', since 'mountain' begins with a consonant sound.
  • (b) Past participle — after the auxiliary 'had', the main verb must take its past participle form, 'descended'.
  • (c) Preposition — 'descended on' is the correct collocation for a burden falling upon someone.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing 'an' by mistake, ignoring that 'mountain' starts with a consonant sound.
  • Using the base form or simple past instead of the past participle after 'had'.
  • Confusing prepositions like 'in' or 'at' instead of the correct collocation 'on'.

Real-world

  • Correct article/preposition/tense usage is essential in formal writing and speaking, e.g., in reports or announcements where precise collocations avoid ambiguity.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Using 'an' for 'mountain'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017?

This question carries 3 marks in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in English (Communicative)?

This question is from the chapter "Grammar" in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in English (Communicative)?

This question covers the topic "Gap Filling" from CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative).

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section B in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 paper.