Question 164·Medium·Form, Structure, and Sense
Unlike the novels that precede it, Octavia Butler’s Kindred ______ time travel not as a mere plot device but as a means of interrogating history.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For subject–verb agreement questions, first strip away introductory phrases and prepositional phrases to find the core subject and verb. Decide whether the subject is singular or plural, then eliminate any verb forms that do not match in number. Finally, check that the tense and aspect (simple vs. progressive vs. perfect) fit the context; for literary analysis, expect the simple present tense to describe what a work of literature does.
Hints
Locate the true subject
Mentally remove the introductory phrase “Unlike the novels that precede it,” and find what noun is actually doing the action in the main clause.
Decide singular or plural
Ask yourself: Does the subject refer to one thing or more than one thing? Then match that to the verb form.
Consider verb tense for literature
When we describe what a novel does, what verb tense do we usually use in English essays and literary discussions?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the main subject of the sentence
Ignore the introductory phrase “Unlike the novels that precede it,” because it is just a comparison and not the main subject.
The core of the sentence is:
Octavia Butler’s Kindred ______ time travel not as a mere plot device but as a means of interrogating history.
Here, the subject is “Octavia Butler’s Kindred,” which refers to a single novel. So the subject is singular.
Match the verb number (singular vs. plural) to the subject
A singular subject needs a singular verb form in the present tense (usually ending in -s).
Check each option:
- treat → base form, used with plural subjects (they treat) or with “I/you” (I treat, you treat)
- are treating → plural present progressive (they are treating)
- have treated → plural present perfect (they have treated)
- treats → third-person singular present (he/she/it treats)
Only one of these matches a singular subject like “Kindred.”
Check the tense that fits the context
In writing about literature, English normally uses the literary present—simple present tense—to describe what a text does (for example, “The novel explores…” or “The author shows…”).
Among the options, the only one that is both singular and simple present is “treats,” so the correct answer is D) treats.