She was too talkative, so Mark avoided ___ to her.a) talkingb) talkedc) talkd) to talk

To solve the problem, we need to determine the correct verb form to complete the sentence "She was too talkative, so Mark avoided ___ to her."

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify the structure of the sentence.
2. Understand the verb form needed after "avoided."

Relevant Concepts

• The verb "avoid" is typically followed by a gerund (the -ing form of a verb) or a noun.
• We must choose the option that fits grammatically after "avoided."

Analysis and Detail

• Option a: talking – This is a gerund, which is the correct form to use with "avoid."
• Option b: talked – This is the past tense of the verb "talk," which does not fit after "avoid."
• Option c: talk – This is the base form of the verb and does not fit.
• Option d: to talk – The infinitive form, which is also incorrect after "avoid."

Verify and Summarize

Among the given options, only "talking" (Option a) is the gerund form that appropriately follows "avoided." Therefore, this option maintains the grammatical integrity of the sentence.

Final Answer

The correct answer is: a) talking.