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Form, Structure, and Sense SAT question

Reading and Writing · Standard English Conventions · Hard · Answer it here, explanation included.

During the American Civil War, Thomas Morris Chester braved the front lines as a war correspondent for the Philadelphia Press. Amplifying the voices and experiences of Black soldiers blank of particular importance to Chester, who later became an activist and lawyer during the postwar Reconstruction period.

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

ExplanationShow

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "was" agrees in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Gerunds such as "amplifying" are always singular.

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying."

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