A subject-verb agreement question with forms of one verb tests whether the verb matches its subject's number. Sort the forms into singular and plural groups, then find the true subject by asking who or what does what the verb names. One thing takes a form that works with it; more than one takes a form that works with they. Use that short version to check, since a nearby noun may not be the subject.
Hints
- Hint 1
In the second sentence, what does the helping? Find the subject of the verb in the blank.
- Hint 2
Replace the subject with it or they. Which verb form works with the pronoun you chose?
Step-by-step
Sort, find, and match
Step 1Sort the verb forms
The choices at daily walks _____ are forms of the same verb, so start by sorting them by number. Helps, is helping, and has helped work with it, so they're singular. Number comes first in subject-verb agreement, which means the verb must match whether its subject names one thing or more than one.
- Step 2
Find what does the helping
What does the helping in this sentence? The answer is daily walks, so those words are the subject. The students benefit from the walks, so they aren't the subject of the verb in the blank. The earlier sentence talks about exercise, but this sentence names more than one walk, which makes the subject plural.
- Step 3
Match the short version
Which form works when we shrink daily walks to they? The short sentence is they help students concentrate better, so the verb is help. In the present tense, the verb without -s goes with a plural subject; the -s form goes with one thing. Choice B.