Question

Fill in the blank with a suitable verb.
A large number of countries _________ members of the United Nations.
A. Is
B. Are
C. Am
D. Has

Answer 1

Hint: Verbs have historically been defined as words that explain the state of being or behaviour. By their place in a sentence, verbs may also often be recognized.

Complete answer:
From the Latin word ‘verbum’, the word verb has originated. It is a word (part of speech) that reveals an action, an event, or a state of existence in syntax. The basic form is the infinitive verb in the normal definition of English, without or with the ‘to’ particle. Verbs are inflected in many languages to encode voice, mood, tense and aspect. Verbs of tenses: present, to demonstrate that some event is taking place; past, to suggest that some events are already over; future, to demonstrate that events will take place.

The subject as it performs an action, a verb form of 'to be' (is, are), is in the sentence, "A large number of countries." A plural verb is used when the subject is plural, and a singular verb is used when the subject is singular. This agreement between the subject and the verb is known as the subject-verb agreement. For example, in 'This country looks beautiful" This country' is singular, and the verb is singular, it ends with a 's', singular verbs typically end with an s, whereas plural verbs do not end with an s.

The provided subject is plural (countries are the subject) and a plural verb will therefore be used. In the third person plural point of view,' are' is the plural form of the verb 'to be', so option B is right, and 'is' is singular, hence option A is incorrect.

'Am' is a single verb used from the singular point of view of the first person when a person refers to himself. Since countries are not able to refer to themselves and are not singular, option C is wrong. 'Has' is used when the phrase is singular from the point of view of the third person , which means "to possess or to experience," the "countries" do not possess or experience "members," unless the "have been" form is used. The subject is also not singular, so choice D is wrong.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘B’

Note:Before answering the questions, identify the elements of the sentence in which it is written i.e. person, number. Also, look at the tense in which it is written.