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Question

Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the grammatically correct auxiliary verb that maintains proper subject-verb agreement.

Answer:The number of candidates registered for the upcoming national examination 【has】 risen sharply compared to last year.

Answer

has
The expression 'The number of' denotes a singular total unit and strictly requires a singular verb. Therefore, 'has' is the grammatically correct auxiliary verb to complete the present perfect construction 'has risen'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical subject of the sentence.
The subject head noun is 'The number', modified by the prepositional phrase 'of candidates registered for the upcoming national examination'.
Intervening plural nouns inside prepositional phrases (e.g., 'candidates') do not alter the number of the head subject noun.
2
Apply the rule of concord for the expression 'The number of'.
The expression 'The number of' always takes a singular verb, whereas 'A number of' takes a plural verb.
'The number' specifies a single specific numerical figure or total.
3
Select the correct singular auxiliary verb form for the present perfect tense.
The singular auxiliary verb 'has' correctly pairs with the past participle 'risen'.
'Has' satisfies both the singular concord requirement and the aspectual demands of the verb phrase.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement ('The number of' vs 'A number of')
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

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