The collection of ancient manuscripts _______ recently been acquired by the university library for scholarly research.
1
readingWhich choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
have
B
has
C
are
D
were
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. This question tests subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases.
- Context clues: The subject is "collection" (singular), not "manuscripts."
- Meaning: The verb must agree with the subject, ignoring prepositional phrases.
- Verify: "The collection... has recently been acquired" correctly pairs singular subject with singular verb.
💡 Strategy: Ignore prepositional phrases between subject and verb when determining agreement.
Choice A is incorrect because "have" is plural, but "collection" is singular. Choice C is incorrect because "are" is plural and also wrong tense. Choice D is incorrect because "were" is plural and wrong tense.