Select the best word or words for the blank in the following sentence.
Her favorite paintings, on which she had worked so hard, _____ destroyed by the fire.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A subject must agree with its verb in number. The subject in this sentence (paintings) is plural so we need a plural verb (were).
The trap here is that the subject is separated from the verb. When checking for subject-verb agreement, look at just the subject and the verb. Ignore everything else.
Her favorite paintings, on which she had worked so hard, were destroyed by the fire.
Note: "destroyed" puts the action in the past so we must use a verb in the past tense. This is why "were" is correct and "is" is not correct.

Select the Best Word or Words for the Blank in the Following