Question

A good man and useful citizen _____ passed away.
 In the above sentence, supply a verb in agreement with its subject.
A) is
B) are
C) have
D) has

Answer 1

Hint: A verb is the action or situation of being in a sentence. Depending on when the action is completed, verbs can be represented in a variety of tenses. Jennifer, for example, walked to the store. The term walked is used to imply movement in this sentence.

Complete answer:
The word 'passed away' in the phrase implies that the incident happened in the past.

Let us look at the given options:
A) is: This option is incorrect because the above sentence is in past tense therefore, the verb should also be in past tense but ‘is’ is in the present tense.
B) are: This option is incorrect because not only is it in present tense but also ‘are’ is a plural verb whereas only one person has died.
C) have: This option is incorrect because the subject of the sentence is singular and not plural and ‘have’ is a plural verb, it cannot be used.
D) has: This option is accurate since the statement refers to the same individual who was both "a nice man" and "a valuable citizen." As a result, the subject is singular rather than plural, necessitating the use of the singular auxiliary verb 'had.'

Thus, the correct answer is Option D) has.

Note: Here are some instances of verbs in different forms:
- Action verbs are used to describe the phrase's topic.
- A linking verb adds information to the sentence regarding the sentence's topic. Rather than showcasing activity, it establishes a bond between them.
- Auxiliary verbs assist to express time, stress, and possibility by extending the principal verb.