16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardAgreement with 'the majority of' plus a plural

Standard English Conventions practice question

The majority of the students ____ in favour of the later start time.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. areCorrect
  2. B. is
  3. C. was
  4. D. has been

Answer: A. are

'The majority of the students' refers to the students themselves, so the verb is plural: 'are'.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. is
'is' would treat 'majority' as a single unit, but with 'of the students' the phrase refers to the individual students.
C. was
'was' is singular and past.
D. has been
'has been' is singular.

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