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Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement

Under the guidance of the lead conductor, the complex orchestration of woodwinds, brass, and percussion require meticulous rehearsal to execute perfectly. The musicians must practice for hours each day to synchronize their timing before the opening night of the symphony.

Which choice best completes the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. requiresAnswer
  3. C
    has required
  4. D
    are requiring

Answer

The correct option is the singular verb 'requires', which properly agrees with the singular subject 'orchestration'.
The singular verb 'requires' is correct because the subject of the clause is the singular noun 'orchestration'. The intervening prepositional phrase 'of woodwinds, brass, and percussion' contains plural nouns, but these do not change the number of the subject. Therefore, a singular verb is required to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the clause containing the underlined verb.
The subject is the singular noun 'orchestration'.
The verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its grammatical subject.
2
Identify and disregard any intervening phrases between the subject and the verb.
The prepositional phrase 'of woodwinds, brass, and percussion' separates the subject from the verb but does not change the subject's singular number.
Nouns inside prepositional phrases or other modifier phrases do not act as the subject of the verb.
3
Select the verb form that is both singular and in the appropriate tense for the context.
The simple present singular form 'requires' is correct.
The surrounding context uses the present tense, so the verb must match both the singular number of the subject and the present tense of the passage.

Key Concept

Subject-verb agreement requires a verb to match the number of its subject, even when separated by intervening plural prepositional phrases.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement

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