In the following sentence improvement question on preposition and gerund usage, choose the option that best replaces the bracketed part: "I do not want an award (for help to you)."

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of preposition and gerund combinations in English. The original sentence is "I do not want an award for help to you." While the intended meaning is clear, the phrase "for help to you" is not natural. We need to choose a more idiomatic version that expresses the idea of receiving an award because one helped another person.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The speaker is refusing an award.
• The reason for the award is that the speaker has helped "you".
• The phrase inside brackets is "for help to you".
• We must make the sentence sound natural and grammatically correct.

Concept / Approach:
In English, when we talk about being rewarded for an action, we often use the pattern "for" + gerund (verb plus ing). For example, "for helping you", "for saving the child", or "for doing the work". The noun phrase "for help to you" sounds stiff and unnatural here, whereas "for helping you" clearly and smoothly expresses that the award is being offered because of an act of help. We must also avoid incorrect combinations such as "helping to you", which misuses the preposition "to".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the intended meaning: the speaker does not want an award that is being given as a result of their act of helping. Step 2: Recognise that in such contexts we usually say "for helping you". Step 3: Replace the bracketed phrase "for help to you" with "for helping you". Step 4: Read the full improved sentence: "I do not want an award for helping you." Step 5: Confirm that it now sounds natural and grammatically accurate.

Verification / Alternative check:
Test each alternative. "I do not want an award to have helped you" is incorrect because it suggests the award has a purpose, which is not the intended meaning. "I do not want an award for helping to you" misuses "to" with "helping", since we help someone directly, not "to" someone. "No improvement" would leave the clumsy phrase "for help to you" unchanged. Therefore, "for helping you" is the only option that creates a clear and idiomatic sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a: "to have helped you" suggests an infinitive of purpose and does not fit with the idea of a reason for receiving an award. Option c: "for helping to you" incorrectly inserts "to" after "helping"; standard English requires "helping you". Option d: "no improvement" would keep an awkward and non idiomatic phrase that is not typical of natural English usage.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the patterns "help someone" and "help to do something", and therefore incorrectly add "to" before the object. Another common issue is overusing noun forms like "help" instead of the more natural gerund "helping" in everyday sentences. Paying attention to how native speakers phrase such sentences in conversations and texts can greatly improve your sense of natural English patterns.

Final Answer:
The best improvement is for helping you, giving the sentence "I do not want an award for helping you."