SHSAT English Language Arts Quiz: Subject Verb Agreement
20 questions · exam conditions
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Subject Verb AgreementQuestion 1 of 20

The news about the recent scientific discoveries were featured on the front page.

Which revision corrects the error in subject-verb agreement in the sentence?

The news about the recent scientific discoveries was featured on the front page.
The news about the recent scientific discovery were featured on the front page.
The reports about the recent scientific discoveries were featured on the front page.
The sentence is correct as written.
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SHSAT English Language Arts Quiz

SHSAT English Language Arts Quiz: Subject Verb Agreement

Practice Subject Verb Agreement in SHSAT English Language Arts with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Subject Verb Agreement, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for SHSAT English Language Arts.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

The news about the recent scientific discoveries were featured on the front page.

Which revision corrects the error in subject-verb agreement in the sentence?

  1. The news about the recent scientific discoveries was featured on the front page. (correct answer)
  2. The news about the recent scientific discovery were featured on the front page.
  3. The reports about the recent scientific discoveries were featured on the front page.
  4. The sentence is correct as written.
Explanation: When you encounter subject-verb agreement questions, you need to identify the true subject of the sentence and match it with the correct verb form, ignoring any prepositional phrases that might confuse you. In this sentence, the subject is "news," not "discoveries." The phrase "about the recent scientific discoveries" is a prepositional phrase that modifies "news" but doesn't affect the verb agreement. Since "news" is singular (even though it ends in 's'), it requires the singular verb "was," not the plural "were." Choice A correctly uses "was" to agree with the singular subject "news." This fixes the original error while keeping the intended meaning intact. Choice B keeps the incorrect plural verb "were" and changes "discoveries" to the singular "discovery," but this doesn't solve the problem since the verb still doesn't agree with "news." Choice C changes the subject from "news" to "reports," making "reports" plural, which would correctly take "were." However, this changes the meaning of the sentence entirely—we're no longer talking about news coverage but about scientific reports themselves. Choice D is incorrect because the original sentence contains a clear subject-verb disagreement between singular "news" and plural "were." Remember this strategy: When checking subject-verb agreement, mentally cross out prepositional phrases to isolate the true subject. Don't let plural objects of prepositions trick you into using plural verbs when your subject is singular.

Question 2

(1) The display of antique maps, along with the rare book collection, are the centerpiece of the new library wing. (2) Many visitors marvel at the detailed craftsmanship. (3) The head librarian often explains the history of certain items. (4) The library plans to rotate the exhibits quarterly.

Which sentence contains an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 4
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 3
  4. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when a subject and verb don't match in number (singular vs. plural). The key is finding the true subject of each sentence and checking if the verb agrees with it. Let's examine sentence 1: "The display of antique maps, along with the rare book collection, are the centerpiece of the new library wing." The subject here is "display" (singular), not "maps" or "collection." The phrase "along with the rare book collection" is a prepositional phrase that doesn't change the subject. Since "display" is singular, the verb should be "is," not "are." This creates a subject-verb disagreement. Looking at the other options: Choice A (Sentence 4) is incorrect because "library" (singular subject) correctly pairs with "plans" (singular verb). Choice B (Sentence 2) is wrong because "visitors" (plural subject) properly matches with "marvel" (plural verb). Choice C (Sentence 3) is also incorrect since "librarian" (singular subject) correctly agrees with "explains" (singular verb). The error occurs because intervening phrases between the subject and verb can be distracting. Words like "along with," "as well as," "in addition to," and "together with" don't make singular subjects plural—they're just descriptive additions. Strategy tip: When checking subject-verb agreement, mentally cross out prepositional phrases and other descriptive elements to isolate the core subject. Then match that subject with its verb, ignoring any distracting words in between.

Question 3

(1) Each of the candidates present a unique vision for the city's future. (2) They have participated in several debates. (3) The election is expected to have a high voter turnout. (4) The local newspaper has endorsed one of the candidates.

Which sentence should be revised to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 2
  2. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
  3. Sentence 3
  4. Sentence 4
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when a subject and verb don't match in number (singular vs. plural). The key is finding the true subject of each sentence and checking if the verb agrees with it. Looking at sentence 1: "Each of the candidates present a unique vision for the city's future." The subject here is "Each," not "candidates." The phrase "of the candidates" is a prepositional phrase that modifies "each" but doesn't change the fact that "each" is singular. Since "each" is singular, it requires the singular verb "presents," not the plural "present." This sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error. Let's check the other options. Choice A (sentence 2) is correct: "They have participated" uses the plural subject "they" with the plural verb "have participated." Choice C (sentence 3) is also correct: "The election is expected" uses the singular subject "election" with the singular verb "is." Choice D (sentence 4) works properly too: "The local newspaper has endorsed" pairs the singular subject "newspaper" with the singular verb "has endorsed." The error in sentence 1 represents a common trap: when a prepositional phrase containing a plural noun ("of the candidates") comes between a singular subject and its verb, it's easy to mistakenly make the verb agree with the plural noun in the phrase rather than the actual subject. Remember: always identify the true subject by crossing out prepositional phrases, then check if your verb matches that subject's number.

Question 4

(1) Our school's robotics team, after months of hard work, are competing in the national championship. (2) Their latest creation performs tasks with incredible precision. (3) The judges were impressed by the innovative design. (4) The team hopes for a first-place finish.

Which sentence contains an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 3
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
  4. Sentence 4
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when subjects and verbs don't match in number (singular vs. plural). The key is finding the true subject of each sentence and checking if the verb agrees with it. Let's examine sentence 1: "Our school's robotics team, after months of hard work, are competing in the national championship." The subject here is "team," which is a collective noun that's singular. However, the verb "are" is plural. This creates a subject-verb disagreement. The sentence should read "Our school's robotics team...is competing" to be correct. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (sentence 3) uses "were impressed," where "judges" (plural subject) correctly matches with "were" (plural verb). Choice B (sentence 2) has "creation performs," where the singular subject "creation" properly agrees with the singular verb "performs." Choice D (sentence 4) shows "team hopes," where the singular collective noun "team" correctly pairs with the singular verb "hopes." The tricky part of sentence 1 is the prepositional phrase "after months of hard work" that separates the subject from the verb. This is a common trap—students might focus on words within the prepositional phrase rather than identifying the main subject. When tackling subject-verb agreement questions, mentally cross out prepositional phrases and other interrupting elements to clearly see the subject-verb relationship. Also remember that collective nouns like "team," "group," or "class" are typically treated as singular in American English.

Question 5

(1) Peanut butter and jelly is a classic sandwich combination. (2) The sweetness of the jelly and the saltiness of the peanut butter creates a perfect balance. (3) Many people enjoy this simple meal for lunch. (4) It can be made in just a few minutes.

Which sentence should be revised to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 1
  2. Sentence 4
  3. Sentence 3
  4. Sentence 2 (correct answer)
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when a subject and verb don't match in number (singular vs. plural). When you see this type of question, look for compound subjects, tricky phrases between the subject and verb, or subjects that might seem plural but are actually singular. Let's examine each sentence carefully. In sentence 2, the subject is "the sweetness of the jelly and the saltiness of the peanut butter." This might look like a compound subject joined by "and," which would typically be plural. However, the sentence is actually describing how these two qualities together create one unified effect - a single "balance." The verb should be "create" (plural) to match the compound subject "sweetness...and saltiness." Looking at the incorrect options: Choice A (sentence 1) correctly uses the singular verb "is" with the singular subject "peanut butter and jelly" (referring to one type of sandwich). Choice B (sentence 4) properly matches the singular subject "it" with the singular verb "can be made." Choice C (sentence 3) correctly pairs the plural subject "people" with the plural verb "enjoy." The error in sentence 2 occurs because "creates" is singular when it should be plural "create" to agree with the compound subject "sweetness...and saltiness." Study tip: When you see compound subjects joined by "and," they're usually plural and need plural verbs. Watch out for long phrases between the subject and verb that might confuse you - always identify the true subject first, then check if the verb matches.

Question 6

(1) Many of the original paintings was lost in the museum fire. (2) However, several important sculptures were saved. (3) The community has rallied to support the rebuilding effort. (4) Everyone hopes the museum will reopen soon.

Which sentence contains an error that should be corrected?

  1. Sentence 3
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
  4. Sentence 4
Explanation: This question tests your ability to identify subject-verb agreement errors, a fundamental grammar concept that appears frequently on standardized tests. When you encounter error identification questions, scan each sentence systematically for common grammar mistakes. Let's examine sentence 1: "Many of the original paintings was lost in the museum fire." The subject here is "many," which is plural, but the verb "was" is singular. This creates a subject-verb disagreement. The correct form should be "Many of the original paintings were lost in the museum fire." This makes answer choice C correct. Now let's check why the other options are wrong. Answer choice A (Sentence 3) is grammatically correct—"The community has rallied to support the rebuilding effort" has proper subject-verb agreement and clear meaning. Answer choice B (Sentence 2) is also error-free—"However, several important sculptures were saved" correctly uses the plural verb "were" with the plural subject "sculptures." Answer choice D (Sentence 4) contains no errors—"Everyone hopes the museum will reopen soon" properly uses the singular verb "hopes" with the singular pronoun "everyone." The key trap here is that the prepositional phrase "of the original paintings" sits between the subject "many" and the verb "was," which can confuse you into thinking "paintings" is the subject. Remember that the object of a preposition never serves as the sentence's subject. Always identify the true subject first, then ensure your verb agrees with it in number.

Question 7

There is, in my opinion, several valid arguments against the new proposal.

How should the sentence be revised to correct the error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. There is, in my opinion, several valid argument against the new proposal.
  2. There are, in my opinion, several valid arguments against the new proposal. (correct answer)
  3. There has been, in my opinion, several valid arguments against the new proposal.
  4. The sentence is correct as written.
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test your ability to match verbs with their true subjects, especially when phrases come between them. The key is identifying what the verb actually refers to, not just the nearest noun. In this sentence, the subject is "several valid arguments," which is plural. However, the verb "is" is singular, creating a disagreement. The phrase "in my opinion" is just an interrupting expression that doesn't affect the grammar. The real issue is that "there is" should introduce singular subjects, while "there are" introduces plural subjects. Choice B correctly changes "is" to "are" to match the plural subject "several valid arguments." This fixes the subject-verb disagreement while keeping the sentence's meaning intact. Choice A creates a new error by changing "arguments" to the singular "argument" while keeping the singular verb "is." Even though this would technically create agreement, it changes the meaning from multiple arguments to just one, which isn't the intended fix. Choice C substitutes "has been" for "is," but this doesn't solve the problem. "Has been" is still singular and doesn't agree with the plural "arguments." Additionally, it unnecessarily shifts the sentence to present perfect tense. Choice D is incorrect because the original sentence clearly has a subject-verb agreement error that needs correction. When you encounter "there is/are" constructions, always look at what comes after the verb to determine whether you need the singular "is" or plural "are" form. Don't let interrupting phrases distract you from finding the true subject.

Question 8

The number of people who use public transportation have risen sharply in the last decade.

Which revision corrects the error in the sentence?

  1. The number of peoples who use public transportation has risen sharply in the last decade.
  2. A number of people who use public transportation have risen sharply in the last decade.
  3. The sentence contains no error.
  4. The number of people who use public transportation has risen sharply in the last decade. (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically when the subject includes phrases that can confuse you about whether to use a singular or plural verb. The key is identifying the true subject of the sentence. Here, "the number" is the subject, not "people." When "the number" is your subject, it's always singular and requires a singular verb. The phrase "of people who use public transportation" is a prepositional phrase that describes which number we're talking about, but it doesn't change the fact that "number" is singular. Choice D correctly uses "has risen" because "the number" (singular subject) needs the singular verb "has." Choice A makes two errors: it incorrectly uses "peoples" (which isn't standard English—"people" is already plural) and still has the wrong verb form with an implied "have." Choice B changes the meaning entirely by using "a number" instead of "the number." While "a number of people" would correctly take "have" (because "a number of" means "several" and is plural), this changes what the sentence is trying to say. Choice C is wrong because there definitely is an error in the original sentence. Remember this pattern: "The number of [plural noun]" always takes a singular verb, while "A number of [plural noun]" takes a plural verb. Don't let the plural noun in the prepositional phrase fool you—focus on whether you're talking about "the number" (singular) or "a number" (plural).

Question 9

Where is the new notebooks and the pens that I bought this morning?

Which revision corrects the error in the sentence?

  1. No revision is necessary.
  2. Where is the new notebook and the pen that I bought this morning?
  3. Where does the new notebooks and the pens that I bought this morning go?
  4. Where are the new notebooks and the pens that I bought this morning? (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, which requires matching singular subjects with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs. When you encounter compound subjects (multiple nouns joined by "and"), pay special attention to whether they create a singular or plural subject. The original sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error. The subject is "notebooks and pens" - a compound subject joined by "and" that creates a plural subject. However, the sentence uses "is," which is a singular verb. This mismatch creates the grammatical error. Answer choice D correctly fixes this error by changing "is" to "are," the plural form of the verb "to be." Now the plural subject "notebooks and pens" properly agrees with the plural verb "are." Answer choice A is incorrect because the original sentence definitely contains a subject-verb agreement error that needs correction. Answer choice B attempts to fix the problem by making both the subject and verb singular ("notebook and pen" with "is"), but this changes the original meaning - the sentence originally referred to multiple notebooks and pens, not single items. Answer choice C keeps the plural subject but introduces a new error by using "does," which is singular, and also awkwardly changes the sentence structure with "go," making it grammatically incorrect and unclear. Remember this key rule: compound subjects joined by "and" are almost always plural and require plural verbs. When you see multiple nouns connected by "and," automatically look for a plural verb to match.

Question 10

He is the only one of the contestants who have correctly answered every question.

Which revision corrects the error in the sentence?

  1. He is the only one of the contestants who has correctly answered every question. (correct answer)
  2. He is one of the only contestants who has correctly answered every question.
  3. He are the only one of the contestants who have correctly answered every question.
  4. No revision is necessary.
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement in sentences with complex noun phrases. When you encounter sentences with "one of the..." followed by a relative clause, you need to identify what the verb in the relative clause should agree with. The key is recognizing that "He is the only one" creates a singular subject for the relative clause "who have correctly answered every question." Even though "contestants" is plural, the relative pronoun "who" refers back to "the only one," which is singular. Therefore, the verb should be "has" (singular) rather than "have" (plural). Choice A correctly changes "have" to "has," making the verb agree with the singular antecedent "the only one." This fixes the subject-verb disagreement in the original sentence. Choice B changes the meaning entirely by saying "one of the only contestants" rather than "the only one of the contestants." While it uses correct grammar, it doesn't preserve the original meaning that emphasizes his unique status among all contestants. Choice C creates an obvious error by changing "He is" to "He are," which is clearly incorrect subject-verb agreement with the pronoun "He." Choice D is wrong because the original sentence does contain an error that needs correction. Watch for "one of the..." constructions on the SHSAT. The trick is identifying whether the relative pronoun refers to "one" (singular) or to the plural noun that follows. In phrases like "the only one of the [plural noun]," the relative pronoun typically refers back to "one."

Question 11

(1) Building sandcastles on the beach are a favorite summer activity for many families. (2) Children and adults alike enjoy the creative process. (3) The best sand for sculpting is found near the water line. (4) Some castles are decorated with shells and seaweed.

Which sentence should be revised to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 3
  4. Sentence 4
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when the subject and verb in a sentence don't match in number. When you see this type of question, look for sentences where singular subjects have plural verbs, or vice versa. Let's examine each sentence for subject-verb agreement errors. In sentence 1, "Building sandcastles on the beach are a favorite summer activity," the subject is "Building sandcastles." This is a gerund phrase that functions as a singular noun, but it's paired with the plural verb "are." The correct verb should be "is" to match the singular subject. Looking at the other options: Sentence 2 (B) correctly pairs the plural subject "Children and adults" with the plural verb "enjoy." Sentence 3 (C) properly matches the singular subject "sand" with the singular verb "is found." Sentence 4 (D) correctly uses the plural verb "are decorated" with the plural subject "castles." The error is in sentence 1, making A the correct answer. Study tip: When checking subject-verb agreement, identify the true subject by ignoring prepositional phrases and other modifiers that come between the subject and verb. In sentence 1, don't let "on the beach" distract you from recognizing that "Building sandcastles" is a singular gerund phrase. Also remember that gerund phrases (verb + -ing used as a noun) are always singular, even when they describe multiple actions or objects.

Question 12

Every car and truck on the road were stopped for the presidential motorcade.

What is the best way to correct the error in the sentence?

  1. All cars and truck on the road were stopped for the presidential motorcade.
  2. Every car and truck on the road was stopped for the presidential motorcade. (correct answer)
  3. Every car and truck on the roads were stopped for the presidential motorcade.
  4. The sentence is correct as written.
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically how compound subjects connected by "and" work with quantifiers like "every." The key issue is the verb "were." When you use "every" with a compound subject joined by "and," the verb must be singular because "every" emphasizes each individual item separately, not the group as a whole. Think of it as "every single car and every single truck" - each one individually was stopped. This requires the singular verb "was." Choice B correctly uses "was" instead of "were," making the subject and verb agree properly. The sentence now reads smoothly and grammatically: "Every car and truck on the road was stopped for the presidential motorcade." Choice A changes "Every" to "All" but keeps "were," which creates a different problem - "All cars and truck" mixes plural "cars" with singular "truck," creating inconsistent number within the compound subject itself. Choice C keeps the incorrect plural verb "were" and unnecessarily changes "road" to "roads," but this doesn't fix the main subject-verb agreement error. Choice D is wrong because the original sentence definitely contains a subject-verb agreement error with "Every...were." Remember this pattern: "Every" + compound subject + singular verb. Even when multiple items follow "every," the verb stays singular because "every" treats each item individually rather than as a group. Watch for this common trap on grammar questions.

Question 13

Here is the new tablet and the charging cable that you ordered online.

Which of the following revisions corrects the error in the sentence?

  1. Here is the new tablet and the charging cables that you ordered online.
  2. Here was the new tablet and the charging cable that you ordered online.
  3. Here are the new tablet and the charging cable that you ordered online. (correct answer)
  4. The sentence is correct as written.
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically how to handle compound subjects joined by "and." When you see multiple items connected by "and," you need to determine whether the verb should be singular or plural. The correct answer is C because "tablet and charging cable" creates a compound subject (two separate items), which requires the plural verb "are." Even though each individual item is singular, when you combine them with "and," they become a plural subject that needs a plural verb. Let's examine why the other options are incorrect. Option A changes "cable" to "cables," but this doesn't fix the main problem—the verb "is" remains singular while the subject is still compound (plural). The original sentence already has the correct noun forms. Option B changes the verb to "was," but this creates two problems: "was" is still singular (doesn't match the compound subject), and it incorrectly shifts the sentence to past tense when present tense is appropriate for describing items that are currently being presented. Option D is incorrect because the original sentence does contain an error—the singular verb "is" doesn't agree with the compound subject. The key pattern to remember: when subjects are joined by "and," treat them as plural and use plural verbs, regardless of whether the individual subjects are singular. Watch for this subject-verb agreement trap on the SHSAT—compound subjects are frequently tested, and the singular/plural verb choice is a common source of errors.

Question 14

What the team needs to win the championship are a new strategy and better teamwork.

How should the sentence be revised to correct the error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. What the teams need to win the championship are a new strategy and better teamwork.
  2. What the team need to win the championship are a new strategy and better teamwork.
  3. What the team needs to win the championship is a new strategy and better teamwork. (correct answer)
  4. No change is needed in the sentence.
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify the true subject of a sentence and match it with the correct verb form. This gets tricky when the subject and verb are separated by other words or when the sentence structure is complex. The key to this sentence is recognizing that "What the team needs to win the championship" is a noun clause acting as the subject. Even though this clause contains the plural word "championship," the entire clause functions as a singular unit. When a noun clause serves as the subject, it always takes a singular verb. Choice C is correct because it uses "is" to agree with the singular noun clause subject. The sentence structure is: [What the team needs to win the championship] + is + [a new strategy and better teamwork]. The singular verb "is" properly matches the singular subject. Choice A incorrectly changes "team" to "teams" but keeps the plural verb "are." While this creates agreement within the noun clause, the main subject-verb relationship is still wrong since noun clauses require singular verbs. Choice B removes the "s" from "needs," creating internal disagreement within the noun clause ("team need"), while still using the incorrect plural verb "are" for the main clause. Choice D suggests no change is needed, but the original uses "are" with a singular noun clause subject, which is incorrect. Remember this pattern: whenever a noun clause beginning with "what," "how," "why," or "where" acts as the subject, use a singular verb, regardless of any plural words within the clause.

Question 15

The principal, along with several teachers and parents, were present at the school board meeting.

Which revision corrects the subject-verb agreement error in the sentence?

  1. The principal, several teachers, and parents was present at the school board meeting.
  2. The principal, along with several teachers and parents, was present at the school board meeting. (correct answer)
  3. The principal, along with several teacher and parents, were present at the school board meeting.
  4. The sentence does not contain an error.
Explanation: When you encounter subject-verb agreement questions, you need to identify the true subject of the sentence and ignore any distracting phrases that come between the subject and verb. In this sentence, "The principal" is the main subject—a singular noun that requires a singular verb. The phrase "along with several teachers and parents" is a prepositional phrase that adds extra information but doesn't change the fact that "principal" remains the subject. Since "principal" is singular, the verb should be "was," not "were." Choice B correctly uses "was present," making the subject and verb agree. The sentence now properly shows that the principal was present, and additionally, teachers and parents were also there. Choice A creates a compound subject by changing "along with" to "and," but then incorrectly uses the singular verb "was" with what would now be a plural subject. Choice C doesn't fix the verb agreement error and also introduces a new error by making "teacher" singular while "teachers" should be plural. Choice D is incorrect because there is definitely a subject-verb agreement error in the original sentence. Remember this pattern: phrases beginning with "along with," "as well as," "in addition to," or "together with" don't change the number of the subject. These phrases are just additional information. Always identify the core subject first, then choose the verb form that matches that subject's number, ignoring any intervening phrases.

Question 16

(1) More than half of the senator's speech were focused on economic policy. (2) He outlined his plans for job creation and tax reform. (3) Many analysts later praised his detailed proposals. (4) The audience seemed receptive to his ideas.

Which sentence should be revised to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Sentence 4
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 3
  4. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when subjects and verbs don't match in number (singular vs. plural). When you see this type of question, look for subjects that might be tricky to identify or cases where the subject and verb are separated by other words. Let's examine each sentence carefully. In sentence 1, the subject is "More than half of the senator's speech." While this phrase contains the plural word "senator's," the true subject is "half," which is singular. However, the verb "were" is plural, creating a subject-verb disagreement. The sentence should read "More than half of the senator's speech was focused on economic policy." Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (Sentence 4) uses "seemed," which correctly agrees with the singular subject "audience." Choice B (Sentence 2) has "He outlined," where the singular pronoun "He" properly matches the singular verb "outlined." Choice C (Sentence 3) contains "analysts praised," where the plural subject "analysts" correctly pairs with the plural verb "praised." The key strategy here is to identify the true subject by stripping away prepositional phrases and other modifiers. In "More than half of the senator's speech," the prepositional phrase "of the senator's speech" can distract you from recognizing that "half" is the actual subject. Collective nouns and fractions like "half," "most," or "some" are often singular, but their meaning can depend on what follows "of." Remember to focus on the core subject when checking agreement, not the words that come between the subject and verb.

Question 17

The pliers you borrowed from the toolbox is missing from its usual spot.

What is the best way to revise the sentence for correct subject-verb agreement?

  1. The sentence is correct as written.
  2. The plier you borrowed from the toolbox is missing from its usual spot.
  3. The pliers you borrowed from the toolbox was missing from its usual spot.
  4. The pliers you borrowed from the toolbox are missing from their usual spot. (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically with words that can be tricky because they look plural but might function differently. When you encounter agreement questions, always identify the true subject and determine whether it's singular or plural. The word "pliers" is always plural in English, just like "scissors," "pants," or "glasses." Even though it refers to one tool, grammatically it takes plural verbs and pronouns. In the original sentence, "pliers" (plural subject) is incorrectly paired with "is" (singular verb), creating a subject-verb disagreement. Choice D correctly fixes this by changing "is" to "are" (plural verb) and "its" to "their" (plural pronoun). Both changes are necessary because "pliers" requires plural agreement throughout the sentence. Choice A is wrong because the original sentence contains the subject-verb disagreement described above. Choice B creates a nonexistent word—"plier" isn't the singular form of "pliers." You can't have just one plier, just like you can't have one scissor or one pant. Choice C partially addresses the problem by changing the pronoun but keeps "was" (singular verb) instead of the required "were" (plural verb), so the disagreement persists. Remember that certain tools and clothing items are grammatically plural even when referring to one object. When you see words like pliers, scissors, pants, or glasses, automatically think "plural agreement required" and check that all verbs and pronouns match accordingly.

Question 18

(1) One of the most important goals of the space mission were to collect soil samples from the asteroid. (2) The robotic arm performed this task flawlessly. (3) Scientists on Earth eagerly awaited the results. (4) The data will provide clues about the solar system's formation.

Which sentence contains an error in subject-verb agreement and should be revised?

  1. Sentence 3
  2. Sentence 2
  3. Sentence 1 (correct answer)
  4. Sentence 4
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify when subjects and verbs don't match in number. When you see this type of question, carefully identify the true subject of each sentence and check if the verb agrees with it. The error appears in sentence 1: "One of the most important goals of the space mission were to collect soil samples." The subject here is "One," not "goals." Even though "goals" is closer to the verb, it's part of the prepositional phrase "of the most important goals," which doesn't determine the verb form. Since "One" is singular, the verb should be "was," not "were." Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (sentence 3) is incorrect because "Scientists" (plural subject) correctly pairs with "awaited" (plural verb). Choice B (sentence 2) is wrong because "The robotic arm" (singular subject) properly matches with "performed" (singular verb). Choice D (sentence 4) is incorrect since "The data" (singular subject) correctly agrees with "will provide" (singular verb form). The key strategy here is to identify the true grammatical subject by ignoring prepositional phrases that come between the subject and verb. Phrases beginning with "of," "in," "with," "from," and other prepositions often contain words that seem like they should determine the verb, but they don't. Always locate the main subject first, then check if your verb agrees with that word's number.

Question 19

All of the bread have gone stale, so we cannot make sandwiches.

What is the best way to revise the sentence to correct the error?

  1. All of the bread has gone stale, so we cannot make sandwiches. (correct answer)
  2. All of the breads has gone stale, so we cannot make sandwiches.
  3. All of the loaf of bread have gone stale, so we cannot make sandwiches.
  4. The sentence is already correct.
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically how collective nouns and quantifiers work with verbs. When you see "all of the [noun]," you need to determine whether the noun is countable or uncountable to choose the correct verb form. The key insight here is that "bread" is an uncountable (mass) noun, like "water" or "sand." Even when preceded by "all of," uncountable nouns take singular verbs. Since "bread" is uncountable, it requires the singular verb "has," making choice A correct: "All of the bread has gone stale." Choice B creates a double error: it incorrectly pluralizes "bread" to "breads" (bread doesn't have a standard plural form in this context) while using the singular "has." Choice C attempts to fix the agreement by adding "loaf of," but then uses the plural "have" with what's still essentially a singular construction ("all of the loaf"). The phrase becomes awkward and grammatically incorrect. Choice D is wrong because the original sentence uses "have" with the uncountable noun "bread," creating a clear subject-verb disagreement. Remember this pattern: uncountable nouns (bread, milk, information, advice) always take singular verbs, even when used with quantifiers like "all of the" or "some of the." If you're unsure whether a noun is countable, ask yourself if you can put a number directly in front of it—you can say "three loaves" but not "three breads" in standard English.

Question 20

Across the wide valley flows two small rivers that eventually merge into one.

What is the best way to revise the sentence to correct the error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. Across the wide valley has flowed two small rivers that eventually merge into one.
  2. Across the wide valley flows two small river that eventually merges into one.
  3. Across the wide valley flow two small rivers that eventually merge into one. (correct answer)
  4. Across the wide valleys flows two small rivers that eventually merge into one.
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement requires that the subject and verb in a sentence match in number—singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. This question tests your ability to identify the true subject when the sentence structure might be confusing. The key to this sentence is recognizing that "two small rivers" is the subject, not "valley." Even though the sentence begins with the prepositional phrase "Across the wide valley," this phrase describes where the action takes place—it doesn't contain the subject. The subject "two small rivers" is plural, so it needs the plural verb "flow," not the singular "flows." Choice C correctly pairs the plural subject "two small rivers" with the plural verb "flow," making the sentence grammatically correct. Choice A changes the verb to "has flowed" but keeps it singular, which still doesn't agree with the plural subject "two small rivers." Choice B attempts to make everything singular by changing "rivers" to "river," but it creates a new error—"river" should be "rivers" since "two" indicates plurality. Additionally, "merges" incorrectly suggests that one river merges with itself. Choice D changes "valley" to "valleys" but doesn't fix the main problem—"flows" remains singular while "two small rivers" is still plural. Remember this strategy: when a sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, look past it to find the true subject. Don't let the prepositional phrase trick you into choosing the wrong verb form—the noun in the prepositional phrase is never the sentence's subject.