Question 109·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
In the late afternoon, the tide retreats from the salt marsh, leaving behind shallow pools where shorebirds ______ for small crustaceans and insects.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For Standard English verb questions, always start by identifying the subject and whether it is singular or plural, then check the tense and aspect of surrounding verbs to see what time frame the sentence is using. Eliminate any choices that do not match the established tense or that disagree in number with the subject (for example, singular verb with plural subject). Read the sentence with your chosen option to confirm it sounds natural and consistent with the rest of the description.
Hints
Check the subject
Focus on the noun right before the blank: is “shorebirds” singular or plural, and how does that affect the verb form you should choose?
Match the tense of nearby verbs
Look at the other verbs in the sentence, like “retreats” and “leaving.” Are they describing past, present, or future actions? Your answer should match that time frame.
Think about habitual vs. one-time actions
The sentence describes what typically happens in the late afternoon. Which verb form best expresses a regular, repeated action instead of a completed or future action?
Compare singular vs. plural verb endings
One answer choice adds -s to the verb, and others change the tense. For a plural subject in the simple present, what form should the verb take?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what is being tested
This question is about verb tense and subject–verb agreement. You must choose the verb form that fits the time frame of the sentence and agrees with the subject “shorebirds.”
Locate the subject of the verb
Look at the part of the sentence with the blank: “...leaving behind shallow pools where shorebirds ______ for small crustaceans and insects.”
The subject of the verb in the blank is “shorebirds,” which is clearly plural (more than one bird). Any verb form that only works with a singular subject will be wrong.
Determine the time frame (tense) of the sentence
Examine the other verbs:
- “In the late afternoon, the tide retreats from the salt marsh, leaving behind shallow pools...”
These verbs are in the present tense and describe a general, repeated situation (what usually happens in the late afternoon), not a one-time event in the past or future. So the verb in the blank should also be in the simple present tense to match.
Apply subject–verb agreement and pick the matching form
In simple present tense:
- Singular third person uses verb + -s (for example, “the bird forages”).
- Plural subjects use the base form (for example, “the birds forage”).
Because the subject is the plural noun “shorebirds,” the correct present-tense verb is the base form that agrees with a plural subject. The choice that fits this is “forage.”