Question 211·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
Local volunteers recently launched a neighborhood composting program. There _____ many benefits to composting, including reducing landfill waste and creating nutrient-rich soil.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For subject-verb agreement questions, especially with sentences that start with "There is/are," first cross out or ignore introductory words like "There." Find the real subject that comes after the verb, decide if it is singular or plural, and check whether the sentence describes present, past, or ongoing time. Then choose the verb that matches both the number (singular/plural) and the time, eliminating any options that are singular when the subject is plural, or that are in the wrong tense for the meaning of the sentence.
Hints
Find the true subject
Ignore the word "There" at the beginning. What noun later in the sentence is the thing that actually "exists" or "is"?
Check singular vs. plural
Ask yourself: Is that noun talking about one thing or more than one thing? Your verb must match that number.
Think about the time of the action
Is the sentence talking about a general, current fact, something in the past, or something that started before and continues to now? Eliminate verb forms that do not match that time.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the real subject of the sentence
In sentences that start with "There ___," the word "there" is just a placeholder and not the true subject.
Look after the blank: the phrase is "many benefits to composting." The noun "benefits" is the real subject of the verb.
Decide if the subject is singular or plural and what time it refers to
"Benefits" refers to more than one benefit, so it is plural.
The sentence describes a general truth about composting (something that is generally, currently true), so the verb should be in the present tense, not past or perfect tense.
Choose the verb form that agrees with a plural, present-tense subject
A plural subject in the present tense takes a plural verb form. Among the choices, only "are" is a present-tense plural verb that correctly matches the plural subject "benefits" and fits the structure "There are many benefits to composting."