Identify the word or words the best describes the underlined(in parentheses) word for the question

(Comparing the two essays), it is obvious that one relied on more thorough research.

A.prepositional phrase
B.participial phrase
C.gerund phrase
D.infinitive phrase

I think the answer is C. Thanks for the help :)

Gerund phrases are used as nouns. This phrase is used as an adjective.

Does this help clarify the question?

That makes the answer B, then?

Right.

Thanks :)

You're welcome.

To identify the word or words that best describe the underlined phrase, let's break down the options:

A. Prepositional phrase: A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition (e.g., in, on, at) followed by a noun or pronoun. In this case, "(Comparing the two essays)" does not fit this structure because it does not include a preposition followed by a noun or pronoun.

B. Participial phrase: A participial phrase includes a verb form (participle) along with its modifiers and objects. The underlined phrase "(Comparing the two essays)" does not include a verb form, so it is not a participial phrase.

C. Gerund phrase: A gerund phrase is a phrase that begins with a gerund, which is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. In our case, "(Comparing the two essays)" indeed starts with the gerund "comparing," making it a gerund phrase.

D. Infinitive phrase: An infinitive phrase starts with an infinitive verb, which is the base form of a verb preceded by "to." The underlined phrase "(Comparing the two essays)" does not start with an infinitive verb form, so it is not an infinitive phrase.

Therefore, the correct answer is indeed C. "Gerund phrase." Well done!