Question 12·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
The set of experiments that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, _____ scheduled for next month aims to determine whether certain gut bacteria can influence mood.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For verb-form and subject–verb agreement questions, first isolate the clause around the blank and strip away extra phrases (especially those between commas or starting with "along with," "together with," and similar). Identify the true subject and decide if it is singular or plural. Then check which verb choices both (1) match that number and (2) give a tense and voice that fit the sentence’s meaning and time frame, quickly eliminating any option that creates passive meaning where the subject should be doing the action or that shifts the time frame illogically.
Hints
Find the "real" subject for the blank
Ignore the long descriptive phrases for a moment and ask: In the part with the blank, who is doing the action related to "scheduled"?
Ignore interrupting phrases
Focus on the structure: "that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, ___ scheduled for next month." The phrase between commas is extra. What noun is left as the subject when you remove that extra phrase?
Check number (singular vs. plural)
Once you know the subject, decide whether it is singular or plural. Then eliminate any verb forms that do not match that number.
Active vs. passive meaning
Think about what the sentence is saying: Is the team doing the scheduling, or is the team itself being scheduled? Eliminate any choices that give the wrong meaning.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the clause that contains the blank
Ignore the extra descriptive information and simplify the sentence structure:
"The set of experiments that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, _____ scheduled for next month aims to determine..."
The main clause is: "The set of experiments ... aims to determine..." The words around the blank form a relative clause that describes "experiments":
"that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, _____ scheduled for next month"
So we are choosing the verb for this relative clause.
Identify the subject of the verb in the relative clause
In the clause "that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, _____ scheduled for next month," ask: Who is doing the scheduling?
It is the research team that is doing the scheduling. The phrase "along with its collaborators across five universities" is extra information and does not change the subject from singular to plural.
So the subject of the blank is the singular noun phrase "the research team".
Determine the correct number, tense, and voice
Because the subject "the research team" is singular, the verb must also be singular.
Also notice the meaning: the team has already arranged the experiments for next month. That calls for a verb phrase meaning "has arranged" or "has scheduled" (present perfect tense in the active voice), not a passive form meaning that the team itself was scheduled.
So we need a singular verb that can pair with "scheduled" to form an active verb phrase like "[verb] scheduled" = "did the scheduling."
Among the choices:
- One choice is a plural verb and cannot be used with a singular subject.
- Two choices create passive forms that would mean the team was scheduled (which is not the intended meaning).
- Only one choice gives a singular, active form that can mean "has scheduled."
Select the answer that matches these requirements
The only option that is singular, works with "scheduled" to form an active verb phrase, and matches the intended meaning "has arranged" is A) has.
So the completed sentence is:
"The set of experiments that the research team, along with its collaborators across five universities, has scheduled for next month aims to determine whether certain gut bacteria can influence mood."