Question

Fill in the blank with the correct verb to complete the sentence.

The cost of all these articles ______ risen.

• A. have
• B. has
• C. is
• D. are

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

has

When a subject is singular it's followed by a singular verb and when the subject is plural, the verb is also plural. This agreement between the subject and the verb is subject-verb agreement. In the sentence, "The cost of all these articles" is singular, because here the main subject is "the cost", hence the verb will be in the singular form. Even though the verb is right after 'articles', which is plural, it does not determine the number of the verb. This is a common error, called the Error of Proximity, where the verb is made to agree in number with a noun (articles) other than the proper subject (the cost) because it's closest to the verb, which is an error. Based on the subject, option B is correct. 'Has' is used for sentences in the third person singular point of view ('cost' is in third person and it's singular), the tense of the sentence being the present perfect tense (an action that started in the past and is continuing in the present). 'Have' is used when the subject is plural, since "the cost" is not plural, option A is incorrect. Similarly, 'are' is used when the subject is plural, so option D is also incorrect. 'Is' is a singular verb used in the simple present tense, whereas 'risen' is the past participle of the verb 'rise', the phrase 'is risen' is incorrect, hence option C is wrong.