An agreement question tests whether a verb matches its subject's number, meaning one or more than one. Start by sorting the verb forms by number, even if their tenses differ. Then ask who or what does the verb and set aside added phrases to find the true subject. One person or thing takes a singular verb; more than one takes a plural verb. Check with it or they, because nearby nouns don't always belong to the subject.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look at the words before the blank and ask who is saying this about the rezoning plan.
- Hint 2
Set aside the phrase starting with as well as. Does the subject that remains refer to one person or more than one?
Step-by-step
Sort, find, and match
Step 1Sort the verb forms by number
The blank comes before that the proposed rezoning plan favors commercial interests over affordable housing, so it needs a verb that tells us what someone says about the plan. Start with the choices and sort the verb forms by number. The forms claims, is claiming, and has claimed each fit it, which means they're singular forms for one person or thing. Their tenses differ, but we can decide which number fits by finding who says this about the plan.
- Step 2
Separate the subject from the added phrase
Who says this about the plan? City planning officials are followed by as well as neighborhood activists, so let's separate the main subject from the added group. Unlike and, this phrase adds information without making the activists part of the subject. We can cross out the added phrase and read the sentence with the officials directly before the blank. The officials are the true subject, whether or not the activists are mentioned.
- Step 3
Match the plural subject
Would we replace City planning officials with it or they? We're talking about more than one official, so the subject is plural and needs a plural verb. The short version is they claim, so claim fits the officials even with the phrase about activists put back in. Choice C.