Form, Structure, and Sense Flashcards

A number of students _______ volunteered to help organize the school fundraiser.

Answer: have

'A number of' is an expression meaning 'several' and takes a plural verb ('have'); contrast with 'the number of,' which is singular.

The mayor announced that new bike lanes _______ installed along the main boulevard next spring.

Answer: would be

Since 'announced' is past tense, the reported speech requires 'would be' (the past form of 'will be').

The book that my professor recommended _______ been out of print for several decades.

Answer: has

'Book' is singular and the present perfect 'has been' correctly expresses a condition persisting up to the present.

To qualify for the scholarship, a student must demonstrate financial need, maintain a 3.5 GPA, and _______ two letters of recommendation.

Answer: submit

Parallel structure requires the base form 'submit' to match the other verbs in the series: 'demonstrate,' 'maintain,' and 'submit.'

The volunteers' hard work, dedication, and _______ were critical to the campaign's success.

Answer: perseverance

'Perseverance' is a noun that maintains parallel structure with the other nouns in the series: 'work' and 'dedication.'

The technician repaired the computer belonging to _______ in just under an hour.

Answer: my colleague and me

After the preposition 'to,' object pronouns are required; 'my colleague and me' uses the correct object form 'me.'

The manager told her staff that each project _______ completed by the end of the quarter.

Answer: must be

'Must be completed' expresses a requirement in the correct form; other options change the meaning or create grammatical errors.