In this cloze passage about yoga, complete the phrase “for someone who is hyper-flexible, it could be a way of __________ core strength” by choosing the correct verb form so that the expression clearly means increasing or building core strength.

Introduction / Context:
This question continues the yoga passage and focuses on how yoga helps different people in different ways. The relevant sentence is “For a runner, it may mean lengthening muscles to gain flexibility, while for someone who is hyper-flexible, it could be a way of __________ core strength.” The blank must be filled with the appropriate verb form to complete the noun phrase “a way of …” and express the idea of increasing core strength through yoga.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The structure before the blank is “a way of,” which is normally followed by a gerund (ing form) in English.
• The intended meaning is that yoga helps in increasing or improving core strength for someone who is overly flexible.
• Options are: enhance, enhancing, enhances, and to enhance.
• The larger context describes yoga as a customisable form of exercise.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the phrase “a way of” is typically followed by the gerund form of a verb, such as “a way of learning,” “a way of relaxing,” or “a way of enhancing.” This structure indicates the method or process of doing something. Therefore, the correct form here must be “enhancing,” not the base form, the third person singular, or the infinitive. The meaning then becomes “a way of enhancing core strength,” which is both grammatically accurate and idiomatically natural.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the expression “a way of” is followed in standard English by a gerund form of a verb.Step 2: Determine the verb that best expresses the intended action, which is to increase or improve core strength. That verb is “enhance.”Step 3: Convert “enhance” into its gerund form, which is “enhancing.”Step 4: Check option B, “enhancing,” to see if it fits syntactically: “a way of enhancing core strength.” It is correct and natural.Step 5: Evaluate “enhance,” “enhances,” and “to enhance,” and observe that none of them fits directly after “of” in this fixed phrase.Step 6: Conclude that “enhancing” is the only suitable option.

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert “enhancing” into the sentence and read it fully: “For a runner, it may mean lengthening muscles to gain flexibility, while for someone who is hyper-flexible, it could be a way of enhancing core strength.” This version is smooth and balanced, contrasting two different benefits of yoga. Trying the other options produces ungrammatical or awkward phrases such as “a way of enhance core strength” or “a way of to enhance core strength,” which clearly sound wrong. Thus the choice of “enhancing” is validated.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Enhance” is the base form and cannot directly follow the preposition “of” in this construction. “Enhances” is the third person singular present form, used in sentences like “Yoga enhances core strength,” not after “a way of.” “To enhance” is the infinitive and might appear after “a way to enhance,” but the expression given in the passage is “a way of,” not “a way to.” Hence these three forms do not match the required structure.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often confuse the patterns “a way of doing” and “a way to do.” Both are correct in English, but each requires its own form of the verb. When they see “a way of,” some students still incorrectly choose the infinitive form or base form because they think of the idea rather than the precise structure. To avoid this, it is helpful to remember a few standard examples like “a way of improving,” “a way of solving,” or “a way of enhancing,” and apply that pattern consistently when answering cloze questions.

Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is enhancing, giving the phrase “a way of enhancing core strength.”