. . . . . . . . stood . . . . . . . . the burning house?

Solution (By Examveda Team)

The question tests your understanding of prepositional phrases and their appropriate use with definite and indefinite articles.

First, let's define the term prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition (such as "on," "in," "at," "by," etc.) and ends with a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition). It functions as an adjective or adverb, modifying other words in the sentence.

The correct answer is Option C: A girl, in.

The sentence requires a preposition that indicates location or position *inside* the burning house. "In" correctly conveys this meaning. The use of "a girl" (indefinite article) is appropriate because we are not referring to a specific girl, but rather a girl in general who was in the burning house. The comma after "girl" is also grammatically correct, setting off the prepositional phrase.

Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:

Option A: A girl, on - "On" implies a position on top of or against something, not inside. A girl cannot be *on* a burning house in the way the sentence implies.

Option B: The girl, on - While "on" is still inappropriate for the context, this option also uses "the girl," implying we are referring to a specific girl. This would be correct only if the context previously identified a particular girl.

Option D: Girl, in - This option lacks an article ("a" or "the"). While omitting the article might be acceptable in some informal contexts, it is generally not considered grammatically correct in formal English, especially when referring to an indefinite person. The sentence needs the indefinite article "a" to complete the meaning.

Therefore, only Option C provides both the correct preposition and article usage to create a grammatically sound and semantically appropriate sentence.