Identify the part of speech of the underlined word:
Kunal is very good at bargaining with the vegetable sellers at the Sunday market.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Noun
Gerund (an -ing word used as a noun):
- A gerund is an -ing word used as a noun. It names an activity.
- Here “bargaining” comes after the preposition “at”. A preposition is followed by a noun, so “bargaining” works as a noun.
- It names the activity Kunal is good at.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Verb — Incorrect. A verb shows the action of the subject. Here “bargaining” is not the action of Kunal. It comes after “at” and names an activity. Example: Kunal bargains hard for every bunch of coriander.
Option 3: Adjective — Incorrect. An adjective describes a noun. “Bargaining” does not describe any noun here. Example: The seller gave us fresh spinach.
Option 4: Adverb — Incorrect. An adverb tells how, when or where an action happens. “Bargaining” does not tell anything about an action here. Example: The old man counted the coins slowly.