Question 213·Hard·Form, Structure, and Sense
Each of the conifers in the experimental plot, as well as the deciduous saplings that surround them, ______ genetically modified to resist a newly identified fungal pathogen.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For subject–verb agreement questions, first strip away extra phrases (prepositional phrases like “of the conifers,” and add-ons like “as well as the deciduous saplings that surround them”) to reveal the core subject and verb. Decide if that subject is singular or plural by seeing whether it could be replaced with “it” or “they,” then eliminate any answer choices whose verb form doesn’t match that number. Finally, check that the remaining verb tense fits the meaning of the sentence (completed past action, ongoing action, general truth, etc.) and read the sentence once more to confirm it sounds correct in formal written English.
Hints
Locate the main subject
Try crossing out the phrase between the commas (“as well as the deciduous saplings that surround them”). What word is left as the core subject of the sentence?
Singular or plural?
Once you find the subject, ask: would I replace it with “it” (singular) or “they” (plural)? That will tell you whether you need a singular or plural verb.
Test each verb with the subject
Read the sentence using just the subject and the verb (for example, “Each ___ genetically modified”). Which option sounds grammatically correct in formal written English?
Step-by-step Explanation
Find the real subject of the sentence
Ignore the extra information between commas and prepositional phrases. The core structure is:
Each of the conifers in the experimental plot, as well as the deciduous saplings that surround them, ___ genetically modified...
The main subject is “Each”. The phrase “of the conifers in the experimental plot” and the clause “as well as the deciduous saplings that surround them” just add detail; they do not change the subject to plural.
Decide if the subject is singular or plural
The word “Each” always refers to individual items one by one, so it is treated as singular in Standard English.
Because the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Any verb form that is used with “they” (plural) will be wrong here; we need a form that matches “each” (like it).
Match the verb form and tense to the sentence
Now look at the answer choices and test them with the subject:
- You would say “each was genetically modified”, not “each were,” “each have been,” or “each were being.”
- The simple past tense also fits the context of a completed action in an experiment.
Therefore, the correct choice is D) was.