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

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.