In the following question, four words are given out of which one word is correctly spelt. Select the correctly spelt word.

Introduction / Context:
This spelling item tests the correct form of the word murmuring, which describes a soft, low sound such as that of a stream or people speaking quietly. The options intentionally introduce extra r letters to confuse the learner. Recognising the base word murmur and the correct pattern when adding the ing ending is the key to identifying the correct spelling. Such questions help exam takers sharpen their visual memory of common English words.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Four similar looking spellings are offered for a word that sounds like murmuring.
• The base form is murmur, spelled m u r m u r.
• The continuous or participle form adds ing to that base.
• We assume that the question expects the standard spelling used in literature and conversation.
• The correct spelling will not introduce extra consonants beyond those in the root word.

Concept / Approach:
The pattern is simple: murmur plus ing equals murmuring. There is no duplication of r beyond what the base word already contains. Incorrect spellings often trick learners by doubling consonants unnecessarily or by altering the vowel sequence. By mentally writing murmur and then adding ing, we can arrive at the right answer. Any option that shows double r in the first or second syllable is suspicious and should be checked against the original base word.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the base word is murmur, spelled m u r m u r. Step 2: To form the present participle, add ing to get murmuring. Step 3: This gives m u r m u r i n g, with only one r in each position from the base word, not doubled. Step 4: Option A, murmuring, matches this exact pattern. Step 5: Option B, murmurring, introduces a double r before ing, which does not follow from murmur. Step 6: Option C, murrmuring, doubles the r after the first syllable mur, breaking the root spelling. Step 7: Option D, murrmurring, combines both types of doubling and is highly incorrect. Step 8: Option E, murmering, changes the central vowel from u to e, altering the root pronunciation and spelling. Step 9: Therefore, murmuring is the only correctly spelt word.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of example sentences. The murmuring of the brook soothed her and The crowd was murmuring softly both use murmuring in its correct spelling. None of the incorrect spellings would look natural in printed books or articles. Also, if we remove ing from murmuring, we get murmur, a valid word. Removing ing from the other options produces forms like murmur or murrmur, which show that extra r letters have been inserted wrongly. This check confirms our answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Murmurring doubles the r without any rule based reason. English sometimes doubles consonants when adding ing to words ending in a single consonant after a short vowel, like run becoming running, but murmur does not follow that pattern. Murrmuring and murrmurring both distort the base spelling by inserting another r, which changes both appearance and sound. Murmering introduces the wrong vowel and is based on a mispronunciation, not on the true root murmur.

Common Pitfalls:
A common problem in spelling questions is overgeneralising rules, such as doubling consonants whenever ing is added, without checking whether the rule applies. Another issue is reliance on how a word sounds rather than on how it is written, which may lead to spellings like murmer. To avoid these issues, practice breaking words into root and suffix and memorise the correct base forms of frequently used words. Reading widely and paying attention to word forms also strengthens visual recognition of correct spellings.

Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is murmuring.