Standard English ConventionsMediumSubject-verb agreement with intervening phrase
Standard English Conventions practice question
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The list of approved suppliers, along with their contact details, ____ updated at the start of every quarter.
- A. are
- B. isCorrect
- C. were
- D. have been
Answer: B. is
The subject is the singular 'list'; phrases like 'along with their contact details' set off by commas do not change the number of the subject. A singular subject takes 'is'. The plural nouns 'suppliers' and 'details' are distractors.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. are
- You matched the verb to the nearby plural 'suppliers' or 'details,' but the subject is the singular 'list,' which takes 'is.'
- C. were
- This is both plural and past tense; the subject is the singular 'list,' and the sentence describes a recurring present practice, so 'is' is needed.
- D. have been
- 'Have been' is plural, agreeing with 'details' rather than the actual subject, the singular 'list.'
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