He did poorly in his examination,______ how hard he had studied for them. A. considering B. to consi

He did poorly in his examination,______ how hard he had studied for them. A. considering B. to consider C. thinking D. regarding

The correct answer is A. considering.

Explanation:
“Considering” is used here to mean “taking into account” or “in view of the fact that.” The sentence structure is:

He did poorly in his examination, considering how hard he had studied for them.

This shows a contrast between the poor result and the effort made.

B. to consider — This would imply purpose (“in order to consider”), which doesn’t fit.

C. thinking — While similar in meaning, “thinking” is less idiomatic in this grammatical pattern for introducing a given fact. We usually say “considering” in such contexts.

D. regarding — This means “concerning” or “about,” which doesn’t convey the contrast of “in light of.”

So A is the most natural and grammatically appropriate choice.