Question ID 2c49940e

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 2c49940e
French philosopher René Descartes doubted whether he could prove his own existence. Eventually, he found proof in his
famous phrase “I think, therefore I am.” The ______ complexity: only those who exist would be able to ponder their existence.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. phrases’ simplicity masks its

B. phrases simplicity masks their

C. phrase’s simplicity masks their

D. phrase’s simplicity masks its

ID: 2c49940e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The conventions being tested are the use of possessive nouns and the use of possessive
determiners. The singular possessive noun "phrase’s" correctly indicates that there is only one simple phrase. The singular
possessive determiner "its" agrees in number with the singular possessive noun "phrase’s," reinforcing the idea that there is
only one simple yet complex phrase.

Choice A is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "phrase’s," not the plural possessive noun
"phrases’." Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "phrase’s" and the corresponding
singular possessive determiner "its," not the plural noun "phrases" and the corresponding plural possessive determiner "their."
Choice C is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive determiner "its," not the plural possessive
determiner "their."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a2816c7f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: a2816c7f
American abstract artist Richard ______ his installations to make passersby keenly aware of how one’s movements are
affected by the physical features of one’s environment, assembles large-scale steel plates into sculptures that dominate the
outdoor spaces they occupy.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Serra is intending

B. Serra, intends

C. Serra, intending

D. Serra intends

ID: a2816c7f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. This choice pairs the
comma after "Serra" with the comma after "environment" and uses the nonfinite present participle "intending" to correctly
form a supplementary phrase describing the reaction Serra intends his sculptures to provoke. This supplementary phrase
appears between the noun phrase that it modifies ("American abstract artist Richard Serra") and the finite present tense verb
("assembles"), which functions as the sentence’s main verb and describes what Serra does.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present continuous tense verb "is
intending" can’t be used in this way in conjunction with the finite present tense verb "assembles," which already functions as
the main verb in the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present
tense verb "intends" can’t be used in this way to supplement the noun phrase "American abstract artist Richard Serra." Choice
D is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present tense verb "intends" can’t be used in this
way in conjunction with the finite present tense verb "assembles," which already functions as the main verb in the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9df6da04
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 9df6da04
Entomologists Yash Sondhi and Samuel Fabian have tried to explain why moths fly erratically around light sources at night.
Knowing that flying insects keep their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

the researchers theorize that moths, mistaking nighttime lights for the Sun, continually try to reorient their bodies while
A. flying near such lights.

the researchers’ theory is that moths mistake nighttime lights for the Sun, continually trying to reorient their bodies while
B. flying near such lights.

moths mistake nighttime lights for the Sun and continually try to reorient their bodies while flying near such lights, the
C. researchers theorize.

moths continually try to reorient their bodies while flying near nighttime lights, the researchers theorize, mistaking such
D. lights for the Sun.

ID: 9df6da04 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
"the researchers" the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase "knowing…day." In doing
so, this choice clearly establishes that the researchers—and not another noun in the sentence—know that flying insects keep
their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase "the researchers’ theory"
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the researchers’ theory knows that flying insects keep their
backs pointed toward sunlight during the day. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement
of the noun "moths" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that moths know that flying insects keep
their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The
placement of the noun "moths" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that moths know that flying
insects keep their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ae439895
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: ae439895
In her 1983 book The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling, sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild first
explored at length her conception of a “sociology of emotions”—the idea that the various cultural and ideological frameworks
a person has internalized (class, gender, political affiliation, etc.) ______ each emotional reaction that person has within a
situation.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. underlies

B. is underlying

C. underlie

D. has been underlying

ID: ae439895 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "underlie" agrees in
number with the plural subject "frameworks."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "underlies" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "frameworks."
Choice B is incorrect because the singular verb "is underlying" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "frameworks."
Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "has been underlying" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject
"frameworks."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f0864217
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: f0864217
Rabinal Achí is a precolonial Maya dance drama performed annually in Rabinal, a town in the Guatemalan highlands. Based
on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-state ruled by a king, ______ had once been an ally of the king but was later
captured while leading an invading force against him.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Rabinal Achí tells the story of K’iche’ Achí, a military leader who

B. K’iche’ Achí, the military leader in the story of Rabinal Achí,

C. the military leader whose story is told in Rabinal Achí, K’iche’ Achí,

D. there was a military leader, K’iche’ Achí, who in Rabinal Achí

ID: f0864217 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers
need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The
modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they
describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text
in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the
drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word
after the comma. Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of
Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be
next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ea0aa676
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: ea0aa676
In the 1970s, Janaki Ammal, a prominent botanist, emerged as a powerful voice in India’s environmental conservation
movement. Her exhaustive chromosomal survey of plants in Silent Valley, a pristine tropical forest in Kerala, India, that is
home to nearly 1,000 species of native flora (many of which are endangered), ______ instrumental in the government’s
decision to preserve the forest.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are

B. were

C. have been

D. was

ID: ea0aa676 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "survey" is singular, and so is the verb "was."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "are" is plural. Choice B is incorrect. The subject "survey" is
singular, but the verb "were" is plural. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "have been" is plural.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dc645172
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: dc645172
The artistic talents of Barbara Chase-Riboud, most known for her 1979 historical novel Sally Hemings and the conversation it
inspired, ______ limited to the realm of prose: she first excelled in sculpture, where her affinity for bronze—a material she
described as “timeless” due to its use across eras and cultures—became part of her artistic identity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. hasn’t been

B. wasn’t

C. isn’t

D. aren’t

ID: dc645172 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "talents" is plural, and so is the verb "aren’t": "the artistic talents…aren’t limited."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "hasn’t been" is singular. Choice B is incorrect. The subject
"talents" is plural, but the verb "wasn’t" is singular. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "isn’t" is
singular.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID eeb14722
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: eeb14722
The soundtrack to Mira Nair’s 1991 film Mississippi Masala expressively captures the clashing of cultures that happens
when ______ (a young Indian woman from Uganda and a young African American man from Mississippi) meet. Featured
throughout the film are songs from Uganda’s Afrigo Band, the Indian composer L. Subramaniam, and the Mississippi blues
musician Sam Chatmon.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. it’s two protagonists

B. its two protagonist’s

C. it’s two protagonist’s

D. its two protagonists

ID: eeb14722 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The conventions being tested are the use of possessive determiners and the use of plural
nouns. The singular possessive determiner "its"—which agrees in number with the singular noun phrase "Mira Nair’s 1991
film Mississippi Masala"—and the plural noun "protagonists" correctly indicate that Nair’s film has multiple protagonists.

Choice A is incorrect because "it’s" is the contraction for "it is," not a possessive determiner. Choice B is incorrect because
the context requires the plural noun "protagonists," not the singular possessive noun "protagonist’s." Choice C is incorrect
because the context requires the possessive determiner "its" and the plural noun "protagonists," not the contraction "it’s" or
the singular possessive noun "protagonist’s."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9eb43963
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 9eb43963
Water in the North Atlantic Ocean is pushed eastward by powerful winds, but the rotation of Earth and interference from
nearby landmasses together cause ______ to swirl into a massive, churning whirlpool—also called the North Atlantic Gyre—
that spins clockwise.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. these

B. those

C. them

D. it

ID: 9eb43963 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular pronoun "it" agrees
in number with the singular antecedent "water" and clearly indicates that the water swirls into a whirlpool.

Choice A is incorrect. The plural pronoun "these" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly
indicates that the water—not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"—swirls into a whirlpool.
Choice B is incorrect. The plural pronoun "those" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly
indicates that the water—not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"—swirls into a whirlpool.
Choice C is incorrect. The plural pronoun "them" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly
indicates that the water—not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"—swirls into a whirlpool.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 20ea68b7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 20ea68b7
It can take time for proposed amendments to the US Constitution to become law. For example, the Twenty-Second
Amendment, which limits the number of ______ can serve, was first proposed in 1947 but wasn’t approved by the required
three-fourths majority of state legislatures until 1951.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. terms presidents

B. term’s presidents

C. term’s president’s

D. terms president’s

ID: 20ea68b7 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of plural nouns. The plural nouns "terms" and
"presidents" correctly indicate that the amendment involves multiple terms and applies to presidents in general.

Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the plural noun "terms," not the singular possessive noun "term’s." Choice
C is incorrect because the context requires the plural nouns "terms" and "presidents," not the singular possessive nouns
"term’s" and "president’s." Choice D is incorrect because the context requires the plural noun "presidents," not the singular
possessive noun "president’s."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 56315bd0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 56315bd0
Solarpunk is an art movement that imagines renewable energy–powered technology infused complementarily into nature. In
Paolo Bacigalupi’s solarpunk short story “Efficiency,” an artificial intelligence that absorbs sustainable energies, redistributing
them through intricate networks of weights and generators, ______ Chicago’s energy grid.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. have been powering

B. power

C. powers

D. are powering

ID: 56315bd0 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "powers" agrees in
number with the singular subject "an artificial intelligence."

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "have been powering" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "an
artificial intelligence." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "power" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject
"an artificial intelligence." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "are powering" doesn’t agree in number with the
singular subject "an artificial intelligence."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b74f676f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: b74f676f
Classical composer Florence Price’s 1927 move to Chicago marked a turning point in her career. It was there that Price
premiered her First Symphony—a piece that was praised for blending traditional Romantic motifs with aspects of Black folk
music—and ______ supportive relationships with other Black artists.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. developing

B. developed

C. to develop

D. having developed

ID: b74f676f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb "premiered," and "Price" is the subject of
both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3bceeb93
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 3bceeb93
When they were first discovered in Australia in 1798, duck-billed, beaver-tailed platypuses so defied categorization that one
scientist assigned them the name Ornithorhynchus paradoxus: “paradoxical bird-snout.” The animal, which lays eggs but also
nurses ______ young with milk, has since been classified as belonging to the monotremes group.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they’re

B. their

C. its

D. it’s

ID: 3bceeb93 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The singular possessive pronoun "its" agrees with the singular antecedent "the animal" and
indicates that the "young" belong to it.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "They’re" is a contraction of "they are," a
plural pronoun and verb, but the antecedent "the animal" is singular. Also, we don’t need the extra verb "are" — we already
have a main verb in this clause, so adding "are" would be confusing and ungrammatical. Choice B is incorrect. This choice
creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "Their" is a plural pronoun, but the subject of the sentence is "the animal," a
singular noun. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a confusing and ungrammatical sentence. "It’s" is a contraction for
"it is." We already have the verb "nurses" in this clause, so we shouldn’t add the verb "is."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dab8b8ee
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: dab8b8ee
Known as Earth’s “living skin,” biocrusts are thin layers of soil held together by surface-dwelling microorganisms such as
fungi, lichens, and cyanobacteria. Fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. a recent study’s estimate is that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

B. an estimated 60 percent reduction in global dust emissions each year is due to these crusts, according to a recent study.

C. these crusts reduce global dust emissions by an estimated 60 percent each year, according to a recent study.

D. a recent study has estimated that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

ID: dab8b8ee Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts."
Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other, so "biocrusts" or some variant
meaning "biocrusts" (in this case, "these crusts") must begin the missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in
arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study’s estimate." Choice B is incorrect. Modifiers and their
subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is
"biocrusts," not "an estimated 60 percent reduction." Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each
other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a75d5984
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: a75d5984
Several advantages—the ability to react strongly with chip components, to avoid interference from other waves, and to be
confined within tiny circuits—______ acoustic waves as a promising alternative to electrical waves for transmitting data on
computer chips; as a result, researchers are invested in developing more acoustic wave–based chips.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. have positioned

B. positioning

C. by positioning

D. having positioned

ID: a75d5984 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. A main clause requires
a finite (tensed) verb to perform the action of the subject. In this case, the subject is "several advantages," and the present
perfect tense verb "have positioned" supplies the finite verb to indicate what has made acoustic waves a promising
alternative to electrical waves.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle "positioning" doesn’t supply
the main clause with a finite verb. Choice C is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The prepositional
phrase "by positioning" doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an
ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle "having positioned" doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 4f2ff5f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 4f2ff5f2
Tortoises can be found in many works of literature. For example, in Tom Stoppard’s 1993 play Arcadia, there is a tortoise that
______ by two names (Plautus and Lightning) and appears in both of the play’s parallel timelines. As a character, the tortoise
symbolizes the connection between the past and present.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. goes

B. will have gone

C. went

D. had gone

ID: 4f2ff5f2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this choice,
the present tense verb "goes" is consistent with the other present tense verbs ("appears" and "symbolizes") used to describe
the tortoise in Stoppard’s play. Furthermore, it’s conventional to use the present tense when discussing a literary work.

Choice B is incorrect because the future perfect tense verb "will have gone" isn’t consistent with the other present tense
verbs used to describe the tortoise in Stoppard’s play. Choice C is incorrect because the past tense verb "went" isn’t
consistent with the other present tense verbs used to describe the tortoise in Stoppard’s play. Choice D is incorrect because
the past perfect tense verb "had gone" isn’t consistent with the other present tense verbs used to describe the tortoise in
Stoppard’s play.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0fe5ce68
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 0fe5ce68
Ten of William Shakespeare’s plays are classified as histories. Although each one of these plays, which include Henry V and
Richard III, ______ on a single historical figure (specifically, an English king), some, such as Henry VI Part One and Henry VI
Part Two, feature different episodes from the same monarch’s life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. focuses

B. focus

C. are focused

D. were focused

ID: 0fe5ce68 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "focuses" agrees in
number with the singular subject "each one of these plays," which refers to each play individually.

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "focus" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each one of these
plays." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each
one of these plays." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "were focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular
subject "each one of these plays."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b369d54c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: b369d54c
Woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted using a carpet weaving technique passed down by the artist’s Turkish
grandmother, ______ so lush and tactilely inviting that you are tempted to reach out and touch them.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. the topological tapestries of Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou are

B. the Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou creates topological tapestries that are

C. when she creates her topological tapestries, Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou makes them

D. Alexandra Kehayoglou is an Argentine textile artist whose topological tapestries are

ID: b369d54c Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
"topological tapestries" the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase "woven…
grandmother." In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that the topological tapestries—and not another noun in the
sentence—are being described as woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase "Argentine textile artist
Alexandra Kehayoglou" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that Kehayoglou is woven from recycled
yarn and hand tufted. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the pronoun "she" and
the noun phrase "Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou" after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that
Kehayoglou is woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The
placement of the noun "Alexandra Kehayoglou" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that Kehayoglou
is woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 684b8bd2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 684b8bd2
Far from being modern inventions, ______ more than 5,000 years ago.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia used drinking straws

B. drinking straws were used by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia

C. the use of drinking straws by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia happened

D. ancient Mesopotamia was home to Sumerians who used drinking straws

ID: 684b8bd2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern
inventions” must be describing “drinking straws,” because those are the only possible inventions in this sentence.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern
inventions” can’t be describing “Sumerians,” because they are a group of people, not an invention. Choice C is incorrect.
Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern inventions” can’t be describing
“the use of drinking straws,” because it is not “the use” of drinking straws that is an invention—it is the drinking straws
themselves. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being
modern inventions” can’t be describing “Ancient Mesopotamia,” because that is a place, not an invention.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5b8f9cf2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 5b8f9cf2
In the canon of North African literature, Moroccan author Driss Chraïbi’s 1954 novel The Simple Past (Le Passé simple)
looms large. A coming-of-age story, a social meditation, and a sober gaze into the dark maw of French colonialism, ______
interrogates systemic power with memorable intensity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Morocco gained its independence two years before the publication of Chraïbi’s debut novel, which

B. Chraïbi’s debut novel, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

C. Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

D. published two years before Morocco gained its independence, Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that

ID: 5b8f9cf2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other. The
subject of the modifier "a coming-of-age story…colonialism" is Chraïbi’s novel The Simple Past, so the subject "Chraïbi’s debut
novel" fits perfectly after this introductory modifying phrase.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-of-age
story…colonialism" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, not Morocco. However, this choice places Morocco directly next to that
modifier. Choice C is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-
of-age story…colonialism" all describes Chraïbi’s novel, not Chraïbi himself. However, this choice places Chraïbi directly next
to that modifier. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier "a coming-of-
age story…" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, so that needs to be the subject immediately after the modifier. This choice adds
another modifier that describes Chraïbi’s novel, but then puts "Chraïbi" himself—not the novel—right after that modifier, which
doesn’t make sense. Chraïbi wasn’t "published two years before" Moroccan independence; his novel The Simple Past was.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID de3dd17d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: de3dd17d
Planetary scientist Briony Horgan and her colleagues have determined that as much as 25 percent of the sand on Mars is
composed of impact spherules. These spherical bits of glass form when asteroids collide with the planet, ejecting bits of
molten rock into the atmosphere that, after cooling and solidifying into glass, ______ back onto Mars’s surface.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to rain

B. raining

C. having rained

D. rain

ID: de3dd17d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. "That…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface" is a relative clause that describes the "bits of molten
rock." Forming the clause requires a conjugated, finite verb, and this is the only choice that provides that.

Choice A is incorrect. "To rain" is an infinitive and can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated verb is needed here
to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the "bits of molten rock."
Choice B is incorrect. "Raining" is a present participle and, on its own, can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated
verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the
"bits of molten rock." Choice C is incorrect. "Having rained" is a perfect participle and can’t serve as the main verb of a
clause. A conjugated verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface,"
which describes the "bits of molten rock."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c52652c9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: c52652c9
The human brain is primed to recognize faces—so much so that, due to a perceptual tendency called pareidolia, ______ will
even find faces in clouds, wooden doors, pieces of fruit, and other faceless inanimate objects. Researcher Susan Magsamen
has focused her work on better understanding this everyday phenomenon.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. she

B. they

C. it

D. those

ID: c52652c9 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. "It" is a singular pronoun used to stand in for objects. Since the antecedent in this case is the
singular noun phrase "the human brain," "it" is a perfect pronoun to use here.

Choice A is incorrect. Although "she" is a singular pronoun, it is reserved for people and animals, not objects like "the human
brain." Choice B is incorrect. "They" is a plural pronoun, but we need a singular pronoun to represent the antecedent "the
human brain." Choice D is incorrect. "Those" is a plural pronoun, but we need a singular pronoun to represent the antecedent
"the human brain."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 36944347
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 36944347
Official measurements of the Mississippi River’s length vary: according to the US Geologic Survey, the river is 2,300 miles
long, whereas the Environmental Protection Agency records its length as 2,320 miles. This disparity can be explained in part
by the fact that rivers such as the Mississippi expand and contract as ______ sediment.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they accumulate

B. one accumulates

C. it accumulates

D. we accumulate

ID: 36944347 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The noun that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural noun. "They" is a third-person
plural pronoun, so it can correctly stand in for "rivers."

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "One" is a singular pronoun, but the noun
that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural noun. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-
antecedent agreement error. "It" is a singular pronoun, but the noun that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural
noun. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. The noun that goes with "expand
and contract" is the plural noun "rivers." Rivers are not people, so "we" can’t be used to stand in for it.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8d53e7a0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 8d53e7a0
Slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel The Poet X, winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s
Literature, is composed of ______ protagonist, fifteen-year-old Xiomara Batista.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. poems putatively written by the novel’s

B. poem’s putatively written by the novel’s

C. poem’s putatively written by the novels’

D. poems putatively written by the novels’

ID: 8d53e7a0 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. Nothing belongs to the “poems” in the sentence, so it should not be possessive—just a simple
plural noun. The protagonist does belong to the novel—it’s the protagonist of the novel—so “novel” needs to be a singular
possessive noun.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This
choice uses the singular possessive “poem’s,” but the text indicates that it should be the simple plural “poems”: there is more
than one poem, and nothing belongs to the poems. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that
conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This choice uses the singular possessive “poem’s,” but the text indicates
that it should be the simple plural “poems”: there is more than one poem, and nothing belongs to the poems. This choice
also uses the plural possessive “novels’,” which is incorrect because there is only one novel. Choice D is incorrect. This
doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This choice uses the plural
possessive “novels’,” which is incorrect because there is only one novel, so it should be the singular possessive “novel’s.” .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 97e7bedc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 97e7bedc
Oyster mushrooms typically get their nutrients from the damp logs on which they grow, but the fungi are also carnivorous,
with the ability to kill and consume microscopic worms known as nematodes. As researcher Yen-Ping Hsueh has shown, the
mushrooms release a toxin that is deadly to nematodes that ______ in contact with it.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has come

B. comes

C. is coming

D. come

ID: 97e7bedc Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "come" agrees in
number with the plural subject "nematodes."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "has come" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes."
Choice B is incorrect because the singular verb "comes" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes." Choice
C is incorrect because the singular verb "is coming" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 28166dc6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 28166dc6
In knot theory (the mathematical study of curved, closed loops), knots are characterized by their crossing numbers—that is,
the number of times the knotted thread crosses over itself. The trefoil knot and the figure-eight knot, each with a crossing
number below five, ______ among the simplest possible knots with the fewest number of crossings.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. was

B. are

C. has been

D. is

ID: 28166dc6 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "are" agrees in number
with the plural compound subject "the trefoil knot and the figure-eight knot." The two types of knots joined by "and" function
as a plural subject and thus require a plural verb.

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "was" doesn’t agree in number with the plural compound subject "the trefoil
knot and the figure-eight knot." Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "has been" doesn’t agree in number with the
plural compound subject "the trefoil knot and the figure-eight knot." Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "is"
doesn’t agree in number with the plural compound subject "the trefoil knot and the figure-eight knot."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d46ac7e7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: d46ac7e7
A second-generation Japanese American, Wataru Misaka ______ in World War II (1941-45) and won two amateur national
basketball championships at the University of Utah when he joined the New York Knicks for the 1947-48 season, becoming
the first non-white basketball player in the US’s top professional league.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. already served

B. was already serving

C. already serves

D. had already served

ID: d46ac7e7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the New York Knicks in 1947. To show that a
past occurrence took place before another past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is
called the past perfect tense.

Choice A is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the Knicks. Both events are in the past, but his service
in World War II happened earlier, so we need a verb that makes it clear that his service (and the two national championships)
had ended by the time he joined the Knicks. Choice B is incorrect. “Was already serving” forms the continuous past tense,
which we use when we’re showing a past action that was ongoing. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the
Knicks. Both events are in the past, but they’re not happening at the same time, so we shouldn’t use the continuous past
tense here. Choice C is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “serves.”

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0bcb4417
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 0bcb4417
Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s star quilt poems offer an unusually open-ended reading experience. With ______ eight
panels of text stitched together in the shape of a traditional eight-pointed Lakota star quilt, the poems present viewers with a
seemingly infinite number of ways to read them.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. their

B. it’s

C. they’re

D. its

ID: 0bcb4417 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive determiners. The plural possessive
determiner "their" agrees in number with the plural noun "the poems," thus indicating that the poems had eight panels of text
stitched together in the shape of a traditional eight-pointed Lakota star quilt.

Choice B is incorrect because "it’s" is the contraction for "it is" or "it has," not a possessive determiner. Choice C is incorrect
because "they’re" is the contraction for "they are," not a possessive determiner. Choice D is incorrect because the singular
possessive determiner "its" doesn’t agree in number with the plural noun "the poems."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID db2e480a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: db2e480a
By the time Hawaiian king Kamehameha III ______ the throne, the number of longhorn cattle, first introduced to the islands in
1793, had drastically increased, and so too had the need for paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) to manage the wild herds that then
roamed throughout the volcanic terrain.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. ascended

B. will ascend

C. ascends

D. is ascending

ID: db2e480a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. "Ascended" is in the simple past tense. Since Kamehameha became king in the past, this makes
the most sense.

Choice B is incorrect. "Will ascend" is in the future tense, but we wouldn’t know about Kamehameha III’s ascent if it hadn’t
happened yet. The information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described
happened in the past. Choice C is incorrect. "Ascends" is in the simple present tense. However, the information in the
sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened in the past. Choice D is incorrect.
"Is ascending" is in the continuous present tense, which we use to show that something is ongoing, but this doesn’t make
sense here—the information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened
in the past.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a30567fd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: a30567fd
Nuhād al-Ḥaddād, known as Fairuz, was one of the most beloved Lebanese singers of the twentieth century. Her broad
singing repertoire—which included traditional forms, such as the Arabic qasida and maqam, alongside modern pop and jazz
styles—lent Fairuz a timeless, cross-generational appeal, ______ her the moniker “the soul of Lebanon.”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. earned

B. had earned

C. earning

D. earn

ID: a30567fd Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The word "earning" is being used to introduce an additional modifying phrase, which describes
how Fairuz’s repertoire lent her cross-generational appeal. When a verb ends in -ing and doesn’t have a helper verb like "is"
before it, it can be used to modify a noun or verb. This is appropriate here.

Choice A is incorrect. The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from
the rest of the sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "earned") creates an
error. We need another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information. Choice B is
incorrect. The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from the rest of
the sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "had earned") creates an error. We
need another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information. Choice D is incorrect.
The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from the rest of the
sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "earn") creates an error. We need
another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 50801257
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 50801257
In 1994, almost 200 years after the death of Wang Zhenyi, the International Astronomical ______ the contributions of the
barrier-breaking 18th-century astronomer and author of “Dispute of the Procession of the Equinoxes,” naming a crater on
Venus after her.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Union would finally acknowledge

B. Union to finally acknowledge

C. Union, having finally acknowledged

D. Union, finally acknowledging

ID: 50801257 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. It’s the only choice that offers a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject
“International Astronomical Union” to make a complete sentence. This might seem like an odd use of “would,” but when
speaking from a point of view in the past, we can actually use “would” to express something that happened later. That’s the
case here: 200 years after Wang Zhenyi’s death, the IAU would finally acknowledge her contributions.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need
a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main
verb. “To acknowledge” can’t do that. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb
elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International
Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. “Having acknowledged” can’t do that. Choice D is incorrect. This choice
creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge”
that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. The “-ing” form can’t do that.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a14eef71
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: a14eef71
In 2015, a team led by materials scientists Anirudha Sumant and Diana Berman succeeded in reducing the coefficient of
friction (COF) between two surfaces to the lowest possible level—superlubricity. A nearly frictionless (and, as its name
suggests, extremely slippery) state, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. when their COF drops below 0.01, two surfaces reach superlubricity.

B. two surfaces, when their COF drops below 0.01, reach superlubricity.

C. reaching superlubricity occurs when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

D. superlubricity is reached when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

ID: a14eef71 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier
placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the
missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier
placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement
requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1c65db8f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 1c65db8f
A species of Byropsis algae produces toxins to avoid being eaten by predators. However, in some cases, the toxins the
organism uses to protect itself from predation actually ______ its attractiveness to predators. The Hawaiian sea slug, for
example, not only tolerates Byropsis toxins but actually uses them for protection in the same way the algae does.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is increasing

B. increase

C. increases

D. has increased

ID: 1c65db8f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "increase" agrees in
number with the plural subject "toxins."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "is increasing" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins."
Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "increases" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins." Choice D
is incorrect because the singular verb "has increased" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 67614549
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: 67614549
After winning the 1860 presidential election, Abraham Lincoln appointed Edward Bates, Salmon P. Chase, and William H.
Seward to his cabinet. Lincoln’s decision was surprising, since each of these men had run against him, but historians have
praised it, noting that Lincoln ______ his rivals’ diverse talents to strengthen his administration.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has leveraged

B. is leveraging

C. will leverage

D. leveraged

ID: 67614549 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject of the verb is “Lincoln,” and the first sentence tells us that we’re talking about
something that Abraham Lincoln did in 1860. So the simple past tense “leveraged” fits the logic of the text.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a tense issue. “Has leveraged” is the present perfect tense, which is used for an
action that began in the past and continues into the present. Lincoln started leveraging his rivals’ talents in 1860—it’s
definitely not still happening today. So the present perfect tense isn’t appropriate. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a
tense issue. “Is leveraging” is the present tense, but Lincoln leveraged his rivals’ talents in 1860, so the present tense isn’t
appropriate. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a tense issue. “Will leverage” is the future tense, but Lincoln leveraged
his rivals’ talents in 1860, so the future tense isn’t appropriate.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e44db0a0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

Conventions and Sense

ID: e44db0a0
Because a cycle of lunar phases ______ 29.5 days to complete, it’s possible to observe two full moons in a single month, one
at the beginning and one at the end.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are taking

B. have taken

C. take

D. takes

ID: e44db0a0 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "takes" agrees in
number with the singular subject "a cycle of lunar phases."

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "are taking" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a cycle of lunar
phases." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have taken" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a cycle
of lunar phases." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "take" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a
cycle of lunar phases."

Question Difficulty: Medium