Find the grammatical function of the underlined wordRatna took to the stage as though she had been preparing for this moment all her life.

To find the grammatical function of the underlined word in the sentence "Ratna took to the stage as though she had been preparing for this moment all her life," we will analyze the sentence structure and context.

1. Identify the Underlined Word: In this sentence, the underlined word is "preparing."

2. Break Down the Sentence Structure:

   • The subject of the sentence is "Ratna."
   • The verb phrase is "took to the stage."
   • The phrase "as though she had been preparing for this moment all her life" serves as a subordinate clause providing additional context.

3. Analyze the Role of the Underlined Word:

   • "Preparing" is the present participle form of the verb "prepare."
   • In the context of the sentence, "preparing" is part of the past perfect continuous tense "had been preparing," which indicates an ongoing action that occurred before a certain point in the past.

4. Determine the Grammatical Function:

   • The word "preparing" acts as a gerund in this context, functioning as the object of the preposition "been," and it contributes to conveying the continuous aspect of the action.

Summary

The underlined word "preparing" functions as a gerund within the past perfect continuous construction, indicating an ongoing action relating to Ratna's prior preparations leading up to the moment she took to the stage.