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Question

Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

Complete the text below by supplying the correct present-tense form of the verb 'to be' ('is' or 'are') for each blank to satisfy the rules of subject-verb concord.

Answer:A large percentage of the harvested grain 【is】 damaged by pests, whereas a number of storage facilities 【are】 currently undergoing renovation.

Answer

The first blank requires 'is' and the second blank requires 'are'.
The first blank requires the singular verb 'is' because in fraction and percentage concord, the verb agrees with the noun following the preposition 'of'. Since 'grain' is an uncountable noun, it takes a singular verb. The second blank requires the plural verb 'are' because the phrase 'a number of' denotes a plural quantity ('several') and must be followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the correct concord rule for the first blank.
The subject phrase 'A large percentage of the harvested grain' contains the quantifier 'percentage of' followed by an uncountable mass noun ('grain').
When percentages or fractions modify an uncountable noun, the verb agrees with the uncountable noun and must be singular ('is').
2
Determine the correct concord rule for the second blank.
The subject phrase 'a number of storage facilities' uses the expression 'a number of'.
The expression 'a number of' acts as a plural determiner meaning 'several' and requires a plural verb ('are'), whereas 'the number of' would take a singular verb.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) with Percentages and Quantity Expressions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

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