measure

[hooshdar3]

"The number of employees a computer company has, can be seen as a .... of its success in the business world."

1)measure 2)measuring 3)measured 4)mmeasures

Why would 2 be wrong?

[SoothingDave]

It's not an ongoing thing. It's a past tense "measure." You measure your company and compare it to the size of others.

[emsr2d2]

"The number of employees a computer company has, can be seen as a .... of its success in the business world."

1)measure 2)measuring 3)measured 4)mmeasures

Why would 2 be wrong?

It's a measure (noun), meaning "evaluation".

[hooshdar3]

It's not an ongoing thing. It's a past tense "measure." You measure your company and compare it to the size of others.

But measuring can be a gerund, can't it?

[Tdol]

Can you give a good reason for using the gerund here- the fact that the word can be a gerund does not necessarily justify its use.
He went outside for a smoke
He went outside for a smoking.

[hooshdar3]

Can you give a good reason for using the gerund here- the fact that the word can be a gerund does not necessarily justify its use.
He went outside for a smoke
He went outside for a smoking.

I asked YOU "Why not to use a gerund here".and you ask it back from me!

[Tdol]

I was replying to your justification that it can be a gerund, which is not a reason for assuming that it can be used. If you use it as a gerund, what would you be doing? In most cases, you would be describing the process, which is not the case here.