Choose correct form of the verbs
The boxes in the storage room (contain, contains) the materials you requested from this department.
Where (is, are) the materials we ordered?
Reservoirs in the mountains (was, were) overflowing before the dirt-filled dam collapsed.
We were very unfortunate. We had (bad luck, a bad luck).
Before the dam collapsed, houses in the valley below (were, was) evacuated.
There (is, are) many people waiting.
When the fire alarm rang, there was (total chaos, a total chaos).
Their one and only goal (are, is) to own their own business.
Mathematics as well as economics (is, are) required.
The (breaking, broken) dishes lay on the floor.
This printer is one of those that (make, makes, has made) a lot of noise.
Pearson, French, Hein, and Jackson (is, are) a leading publishing house.
Any number of consequences (is, are) possible.
The (trembling, trembled) children were given a blanket for warmth.
The proceeds of the bake sale usually (exceed, exceeds) everyone's estimate.
Players are (sure, surely) rehearsing long hours.
These are the orders that (require, requires) special attention.
Compassionate friends tried to console the (crying, cried) children.
Three-fifths of the crop (has, have) to be stored in silos.
One million dollars (is, are) a great deal of money.
The (interesting, interested) tennis match caused a great deal of excitement.
The number of books available for sale (are, is) low.
Our agency is only one of several that (sell, sells) insurance.
Some of the company's investments (seem, seems) to have been affected by the market changes.
Measles (is, are) a contagious disease.
She (drinks, drank, has drunk) two cups of coffee this morning.
Neither coffee nor dessert (come, comes) with the meal.
Each monthly payment, including finance charges, (are, is) $224.75.
(Whoever, Whomever, Whom) gets there first should begin setting up.
All orders received today (has, have) come directly from the manufacturer.
(Is, Are) all this area zoned residential?
Perhaps they (were meeting, meet, are meeting) right now.
News of the price decreases (was, were) announced to the buyers.
When (do, does) Dave and Connie take their vacations?
The jury and the judge, as well as the general public, (is, are) convinced of the defendant's innocence.
Norton is one of the employees who (work, works) at home sometimes.
Perhaps each of you (agree, agrees) with us.
The Providence Producing Company (appear, appears) on the top of the list.
The members of the ANTA Playhouse Company (is, are) planning a road trip.
Several series of games (was, were) scheduled for last Saturday.
Three-fourths of the members (has, have) paid their dues.
The flight (has departed, had departed, departed) before we arrived.
Maria is only one of the employees who (was, were) considered for the position.
Most of the damage to the store and its contents (was, were) minor.
Kabir (has been, is being, is) a supervisor for the last two years.
Employees who (wish, wishes) to work overtime should see Jim.
The committee (has, have) accepted the proposal.
Ms. Chen, together with her spouse, (is, are) conducting the seminar.
Answer with Explanation
The boxes in the storage room contain the materials you requested from this department.
Explanation: "Boxes" is plural, so the verb should be plural as well.
Where are the materials we ordered?
Explanation: "Materials" is plural, so the correct verb is "are".
Reservoirs in the mountains were overflowing before the dirt-filled dam collapsed.
Explanation: "Reservoirs" is plural, so the verb "were" is used.
We were very unfortunate. We had bad luck.
Explanation: "Luck" is an uncountable noun, so "bad luck" is correct.
Before the dam collapsed, houses in the valley below were evacuated.
Explanation: "Houses" is plural, so "were" is used.
There are many people waiting.
Explanation: "People" is plural, requiring the verb "are".
When the fire alarm rang, there was total chaos.
Explanation: "Chaos" is an uncountable noun, so "total chaos" is correct.
Their one and only goal is to own their own business.
Explanation: "Goal" is singular, so the verb "is" is correct.
Mathematics as well as economics is required.
Explanation: When "as well as" connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the first subject. Here, "Mathematics" is singular.
The broken dishes lay on the floor.
Explanation: "Broken" is the past participle, describing the state of the dishes.
This printer is one of those that make a lot of noise.
Explanation: "Those" is plural, so the verb "make" is used.
Pearson, French, Hein, and Jackson is a leading publishing house.
Explanation: The names form one entity, a publishing house, so "is" is used.
Any number of consequences is possible.
Explanation: "Any number of" is followed by a singular verb when considering the possibility as a whole.
The trembling children were given a blanket for warmth.
Explanation: "Trembling" is the present participle, describing the children.
The proceeds of the bake sale usually exceed everyone's estimate.
Explanation: "Proceeds" is plural, so "exceed" is correct.
Players are surely rehearsing long hours.
Explanation: "Surely" is the correct adverb, modifying "are rehearsing".
These are the orders that require special attention.
Explanation: "Orders" is plural, so "require" is correct.
Compassionate friends tried to console the crying children.
Explanation: "Crying" is the present participle, describing the children.
Three-fifths of the crop has to be stored in silos.
Explanation: "Three-fifths" of a single crop takes a singular verb.
One million dollars is a great deal of money.
Explanation: "One million dollars" is considered a single amount, so "is" is correct.
The interesting tennis match caused a great deal of excitement.
Explanation: "Interesting" is correct, describing the nature of the match.
The number of books available for sale is low.
Explanation: "The number" is treated as singular, so "is" is correct.
Our agency is only one of several that sells insurance.
Explanation: "One of several that" takes the singular verb form for "sells".
Some of the company's investments seem to have been affected by the market changes.
Explanation: "Investments" is plural, so "seem" is correct.
Measles is a contagious disease.
Explanation: "Measles" is a singular noun for a disease, so "is" is correct.
She has drunk two cups of coffee this morning.
Explanation: Present perfect ("has drunk") is correct here, as the action is recent and has relevance to the present.
Neither coffee nor dessert comes with the meal.
Explanation: When "neither...nor" is used, the verb agrees with the closer subject, which is "dessert" (singular).
Each monthly payment, including finance charges, is $224.75.
Explanation: "Each" is singular, so "is" is used.
Whoever gets there first should begin setting up.
Explanation: "Whoever" is correct, as it functions as the subject of "gets".
All orders received today have come directly from the manufacturer.
Explanation: "Orders" is plural, so "have" is correct.
Is all this area zoned residential?
Explanation: "All this area" is singular in meaning, so "is" is correct.
Perhaps they are meeting right now.
Explanation: "Are meeting" (present continuous) is correct as it describes an action likely happening at this moment.
News of the price decreases was announced to the buyers.
Explanation: "News" is singular, so "was" is used.
When do Dave and Connie take their vacations?
Explanation: "Dave and Connie" is plural, so "do" is used in questions for plural subjects.
The jury and the judge, as well as the general public, are convinced of the defendant's innocence.
Explanation: The phrase "as well as" does not affect verb agreement with the main subjects, "the jury and the judge", which are plural.
Norton is one of the employees who work at home sometimes.
Explanation: "Employees" is plural, so "work" agrees with "who" to describe this group.
Perhaps each of you agrees with us.
Explanation: "Each" is treated as singular, so "agrees" is correct.
The Providence Producing Company appears on the top of the list.
Explanation: "The company" is singular, so "appears" is correct.
The members of the ANTA Playhouse Company are planning a road trip.
Explanation: "Members" is plural, so "are" is used.
Several series of games were scheduled for last Saturday.
Explanation: "Series" is treated as plural here, referring to multiple instances, so "were" is correct.
Three-fourths of the members have paid their dues.
Explanation: "Members" is plural, so "have" is correct.
The flight had departed before we arrived.
Explanation: "Had departed" (past perfect) is correct to indicate that the flight left before the arrival.
Maria is only one of the employees who were considered for the position.
Explanation: "Employees" is plural, so "were" agrees with "who" in describing the larger group.
Most of the damage to the store and its contents was minor.
Explanation: "Damage" is singular, so "was" is correct.
Kabir has been a supervisor for the last two years.
Explanation: Present perfect ("has been") is used for an ongoing role since a past point.
Employees who wish to work overtime should see Jim.
Explanation: "Employees" is plural, so "wish" is used.
The committee has accepted the proposal.
Explanation: "Committee" is treated as a single entity here, so "has" is correct.
Ms. Chen, together with her spouse, is conducting the seminar.
Explanation: When "together with" is used, the verb agrees with the main subject "Ms. Chen", which is singular.
Comments