Why helping? isn't help noun, too?

[Ibiza]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #119 "Gerund or Infinitive", question 8

I really appreciate your ......... me at this difficult time.

(a) helps
(b) help
(c) helped
(d) helping

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #119 "Gerund or Infinitive", answer 8

I really appreciate your helping me at this difficult time.

Correct answer: (d) helping

Your answer was: incorrect
I really appreciate your help me at this difficult time.
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why "helping"? isn't "help" noun, too?

[Alan]

Hi English Learner,

You need the verb form here because there is an object for the verb helping and that is me. You can simply say: Thank you for your help (noun) but the sentence continues with another object and that is preceded by the verb. Let's take another example:

Thank you for your advice (noun)
Thank you for advising (verb) me.

I do hope this is clear.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Guy Fawkes Night for You

[Wullpe]

I think there's a spelling mistake..your instead of you're ..is it right?

[Andrew]

"Your" is the correct word.

Thank you for your help.
Thank you for your helping out.

[Magaly]

hi alan!

i just wanted to ask you if it would be correct to say "thank you for YOU helping out"? in "thank you for your HELPING out" could that "helping" be a substantive or still a gerund?

also, could you tell me if these exercise are meant to be proficiency level?

thanks a lot

looking forward to hearing from you soon

[Esl_Expert]

Hello Magaly,

I'm not Alan, but I can give you some input about how thank you is used.