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Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement

In the dry grasslands of the American Southwest, the resilient seed pods of the desert lupine (*Lupinus sparsiflorus*) can remain dormant in the soil for several years during prolonged periods of drought. The germination of these seeds, which occurs only after a sequence of uncommonly heavy winter rains fully saturates the parched ground, _______ a rapid, vibrant bloom that temporarily transforms the landscape.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    trigger
  2. B
    triggering
  3. triggersAnswer
  4. D
    have triggered

Answer

The correct option is 'triggers'. The singular noun 'germination' functions as the subject of the clause and must agree with the singular present-tense verb 'triggers'.
The singular, present-tense verb 'triggers' is correct because the grammatical subject of the clause is 'germination,' which is singular. The intervening prepositional phrase 'of these seeds' and the relative clause starting with 'which' modify the subject but do not change its singular number.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the subject of the clause containing the blank.
The subject is the singular noun 'germination'.
The phrase 'of these seeds, which occurs only after a sequence of uncommonly heavy winter rains fully saturates the parched ground' is an intervening modifier that does not dictate the verb's number.
2
Select the verb option that matches the singular subject 'germination' and maintains the simple present tense of the passage.
The singular present-tense verb 'triggers' is chosen.
Singular subjects require singular verbs, and the simple present tense is used to convey a scientific generalization.

Key Concept

Subject-verb agreement requires a verb to match the number of its subject, ignoring any intervening prepositional phrases or clauses.
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement

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