Fill in the blanks in the following sentence :
"My father doesn't allow anybody _____ in our house."

Question

Accepted Answer

The sentence in question is: "My father doesn't allow anybody _____ in our house." The correct answer is Option 2: "to smoke." Here is a detailed explanation justifying why Option 2 is correct and why the other options are incorrect:

1. **Explanation for Option 2 ("to smoke"):**
   - The phrase "allow anybody to smoke" is grammatically correct and follows the standard structure for expressing permission or prohibition. In English, when using the verb "allow," it is common to follow it with an infinitive form of the verb, which in this case is "to smoke." This construction clearly communicates that smoking is not permitted by the father in the house.

2. **Explanation for why the other options are incorrect:**
   - **Option 1 ("to have smoke"):** This option is incorrect because "to have smoke" is not a standard expression in English when referring to the act of smoking. The phrase "to have smoke" could imply possessing smoke, which is not the intended meaning. The correct expression for the act of smoking is simply "to smoke."
   - **Option 3 ("smoking"):** While "smoking" is a gerund and can be used in some contexts, it does not fit well in this sentence structure. The verb "allow" typically requires an infinitive form (to + verb) to indicate what is being permitted or prohibited, making "to smoke" the appropriate choice.
   - **Option 4 ("for smoke"):** This option is incorrect because "for smoke" does not convey the intended meaning of the sentence. The preposition "for" is not used in this context to indicate an action being allowed or disallowed. The correct prepositional phrase should be "to smoke" to indicate the action of smoking.

In summary, Option 2 ("to smoke") is the correct choice because it accurately follows the grammatical structure required by the verb "allow" and clearly conveys the intended meaning of the sentence.