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Question

Difficulty: EasySubject-Verb Agreement

For centuries, astronomers have looked to the night sky to understand the universe. The main mirror of the giant telescopes need to be cleaned regularly to prevent dust from blocking faint starlight.

Which option is the correct form of the underlined verb to ensure proper subject-verb agreement?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. needsAnswer
  3. C
    has needed
  4. D
    are needing

Answer

The correct form is the singular verb 'needs' to agree with the singular subject 'mirror'.
The subject of the sentence is the singular noun 'mirror.' The prepositional phrase 'of the giant telescopes' separates the subject from the verb but does not change the subject's number. Therefore, a singular verb is required. The verb 'needs' is the correct singular form that matches the subject in the present tense.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the sentence containing the underlined verb.
The subject is the singular noun 'mirror'. The phrase 'of the giant telescopes' is a prepositional phrase that modifies the subject but does not change its number.
Verbs must agree with their grammatical subject, not with nouns inside modifying prepositional phrases.
2
Determine the correct verb form that agrees with the singular subject in the present tense.
The singular form of the verb in the simple present tense is 'needs'.
A singular subject requires a singular verb.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement

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