Final answer:
The underlined word 'consumed' in the given sentence is a past participle, used with 'has' to form the present perfect tense of the verb. The correct option is 'c) Past participle'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence in question is "The flickering flames has consumed few houses in their area during the wildfire caused by the lightning." The word in focus, has consumed, is composed of a form of the verb 'to have' (has) and the main verb (consumed).
In English grammar, such a combination indicates a perfect tense, specifically using the past participle of the main verb 'consume.' The term past participle often refers to the third principal part of a verb, which is used to form perfect tenses in conjunction with forms of the verb 'to have.'
Therefore, the underlined word 'consumed' in the sentence serves as a past participle, making the correct option 'c) Past participle'.