Question 93·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
That several independently developed writing systems use repeated signs to indicate plurality _____ according to historical linguist Amara Okafor, evidence not of direct contact among the societies but of a recurring design strategy: adapting an existing sign can be more efficient than inventing a new one.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For sentences with long subjects, reduce the sentence to its grammatical core before checking agreement. Ignore nouns inside modifying or subordinate clauses, identify the full subject, and decide whether that subject is singular or plural. Then confirm that the selected verb is finite and that any interrupting phrase is punctuated correctly.
Hints
Find the main predicate
The verb “use” belongs to the clause beginning with “That.” Look for the verb needed to connect that entire clause to “evidence.”
Treat the clause as a unit
A clause functioning as a sentence's subject is treated as a single idea, even if it contains a plural noun.
Check verb form and punctuation
The completion needs a finite verb that agrees with the full subject, as well as punctuation that sets off “according to historical linguist Amara Okafor.”
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the sentence's main structure
Temporarily remove the parenthetical phrase “according to historical linguist Amara Okafor.” The basic structure is “That several independently developed writing systems use repeated signs to indicate plurality _____ evidence.”
Determine the subject's number
The complete “That” clause functions as the subject. Although the clause contains the plural noun “systems,” the clause as a whole expresses one fact and is therefore treated as singular. The blank requires a finite singular verb, followed by a comma that opens the parenthetical phrase.
Select the completion
The choice that provides the required singular verb and comma is constitutes,.