A verb form question tests whether the blank needs a main verb or a describing form. Find the subject, who or what the sentence is about, and count its main verbs. A main verb says what the subject does or is; an -ing form needs a helper to be one. Verbs joined by and can share a subject and need matching forms. For a main verb, check the subject's number: one thing takes a singular verb, and more than one takes a plural verb.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look for the subject and its main verb in the words after the opening phrase about the plant's hardy nature.
- Hint 2
Set aside therefore and check what and joins. Then ask whether the blank's subject names one thing or more than one.
Step-by-step
Count the verbs and match the subject
Step 1Find the main verb already there
Set aside Because of its hardy nature, which tells us why the plant needs little water. The rest begins the aloe plant requires little water, so we already have a subject, the plant, and a main verb, requires. The sentence already has a main verb, so let's check how the blank connects to it.
- Step 2
Follow the joining word
What does and, therefore, join? Set aside therefore, which means as a result, to see that and connects requires to the blank. The blank belongs to a pair of main verbs, so it must also say what the plant does or is. The -ing form being has no helper, so it can't be a main verb and doesn't match requires.
- Step 3
Match the verb to the plant
Which form matches the aloe plant? One plant takes a singular verb, so shrink the subject to it. Are and were go with they, which means they don't match this subject. With is, the short version reads it is a popular choice. Choice D.