Beneath the monument lie catacombs that, together with a recently cataloged artifact collection, ______ the city’s complex relationship with its colonial past.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
In subject-verb agreement questions, identify the grammatical subject before considering nearby nouns. Set aside comma-delimited phrases introduced by expressions such as "together with," because those phrases do not change the subject's number; then select the verb that agrees with the actual subject.
Hints
Locate the subject of the blank
Determine what noun the relative pronoun "that" represents.
Examine the comma-set phrase
Consider whether the phrase beginning with "together with" changes the grammatical number of the subject or merely adds information.
Check subject-verb agreement
After identifying the subject's number, choose the verb form that agrees with it in a general present-time statement.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the relative clause
The blank is the verb in the relative clause "that, together with a recently cataloged artifact collection, ______ the city’s complex relationship with its colonial past." Its subject is the relative pronoun "that."
Find the antecedent
The relative pronoun "that" refers to "catacombs," a plural noun. Therefore, the verb in the relative clause must be plural.
Set aside the intervening phrase
The phrase "together with a recently cataloged artifact collection" provides supplemental information and is set off with commas. It does not form a compound subject or change the number of "that." Although "collection" is singular and appears close to the blank, it does not control the verb.
Select the agreeing verb
A plural subject takes the simple-present form "illuminate," not the singular forms "illuminates," "is illuminating," or "has illuminated." Thus, choice D correctly completes the sentence.