A verb form question tests whether a sentence needs a main verb or a form that only describes. Sort the forms by their jobs: main verbs say what a subject does or is; -ing and to forms can't do that alone. Find the subject and read to the period, setting aside extra details. If no main verb is there, the blank must supply one. One person or thing takes a singular verb; more than one takes a plural verb.
Hints
- Hint 1
Set aside the opening time phrase and find who the sentence is about.
- Hint 2
Read from the blank to the period. Look for a verb that says what the tourists do.
- Hint 3
Does the subject name one person or more than one? Try replacing it with it or they to check the verb's number.
Step-by-step
Count main verbs, then match the subject
Step 1Find the missing main verb
Each summer tells us when the trip happens, not who makes it. Who is the sentence about? It's thousands of tourists, so let's read on for their main verb, the verb that says what they do or are. The ending, eager to attend its renowned music festival, describes the tourists but supplies no main verb, so the blank must supply one.
- Step 2
Check which forms can be main verbs
What forms can do that job? An -ing form needs a helper such as are to act as a main verb, and a to form can't be one on its own. So coming and to come would leave thousands of tourists without a main verb.
- Step 3
Match the plural subject
Does thousands of tourists mean one person or more than one? It means more than one, so use they to check the verb: they come, not they comes. A plural subject takes a plural verb, so come matches these tourists. Choice D.