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Question

Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement

The sentence below is about maritime archaeology. Which present-tense form of the verb 'allow' correctly completes the sentence to ensure proper subject-verb agreement?

Answer:The preservation of ancient wooden shipwrecks, which are often found in deep, oxygen-depleted waters, 【allows】 researchers to reconstruct historical trade routes with remarkable accuracy.

Answer

allows
The singular subject 'preservation' requires the singular present-tense verb 'allows.' The plural nouns 'shipwrecks' and 'waters' are located within modifying phrases that separate the subject from the verb, meaning they do not affect the agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true grammatical subject of the sentence.
The subject is the singular noun 'preservation.'
The prepositional phrase 'of ancient wooden shipwrecks' and the relative clause 'which are often found in deep, oxygen-depleted waters' serve as intervening modifiers and do not determine the singular or plural status of the verb.
2
Determine the correct verb form that agrees with the singular subject.
The singular present-tense form 'allows' is required.
A singular subject ('preservation') requires a singular verb form ('allows') to maintain proper subject-verb agreement.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement

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