An agreement question tests whether a verb matches a subject that's one thing or more than one. Sort the verb forms by whether they follow it or they, then find the true subject. Ask what the sentence is saying something about, and cross out phrases that only describe that subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. Match the subject, not the nearest noun, even when several words separate it from the verb.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look at the words before the blank. What does the sentence identify as the use of tiny dots?
- Hint 2
Cross out the phrase that begins with of. Can you replace the subject that's left with it or they?
Step-by-step
Sort, find, and match
Step 1Sort the verb forms
Sort the choices by number: do they follow it or they? The forms are, have been, and were all follow they, so they're plural. To decide which number we need, look at the sentence's opening, The central feature of Pointillist paintings, and find the true subject, the word the verb must match.
- Step 2
Find the true subject
What is being identified as the use of tiny dots? It's the central feature, not the paintings themselves. The phrase of Pointillist paintings tells us which paintings have that feature, so we can cross it out when finding the subject. We're left with The central feature ______ the use, and one feature is singular.
- Step 3
Match the verb
Shrink The central feature to it: which choice gives us a complete, grammatical sentence? The form is matches, because we say it is the use of tiny dots. Choice A.