Standard English ConventionsVery hardSubjunctive 'be' after 'insisted that'
Standard English Conventions practice question
The auditor insisted that every receipt ____ kept for at least seven years.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. beCorrect
- B. is
- C. was
- D. were
Answer: A. be
After 'insisted that', the verb takes the base (subjunctive) form. In a passive, that is 'be kept'.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. is
- 'is kept' is ordinary present tense, but a demand calls for the subjunctive 'be'.
- C. was
- 'was kept' turns the demand into a past fact.
- D. were
- 'were kept' is plural, and it also turns the demand into a statement.
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