Pretend to hear

[Optional]

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", question 9

He sometimes pretends he can't ......... a single word you are saying but all the time he's taking it all in.

(a) listen to
(b) listening to
(c) hear
(d) hearing

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", answer 9

He sometimes pretends he can't hear a single word you are saying but all the time he's taking it all in.

Correct answer: (c) hear
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Please,help me with this question.

[Alan]

First you need an infinitive form of a verb to complete the sentence. You should choose hear because you are talking about the ability to hear. The sentence in fact means: He behaves as if he can't hear but in fact he can hear and he ubderstands everything that is said.
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English as a Second Language
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