Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumSubject-verb agreement
Standard English Conventions practice question
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The collection of rare stamps ____ displayed in a locked glass case near the museum entrance.
- A. are
- B. isCorrect
- C. were
- D. have been
Answer: B. is
The subject is 'collection' (singular), not 'stamps'. A singular subject takes 'is'. The plural noun in the prepositional phrase 'of rare stamps' is a deliberate distractor.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. are
- You matched the verb to 'stamps,' the noun right before the blank, but 'stamps' sits inside the prepositional phrase 'of rare stamps' — the subject is the singular 'collection,' so you need 'is.'
- C. were
- 'Were' is plural and also shifts to past tense; the subject is the singular 'collection' (not 'stamps'), and the sentence describes a present state, so 'is' is correct.
- D. have been
- 'Have been' is plural, agreeing with 'stamps' rather than the actual subject 'collection,' which is singular and takes 'is.'
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