In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. According to a poll conducted in 2018–19 by an online internship and training platform, (1)__________ number of businesses actively (2)__________ intern profiles has increased over the previous five years. This study demonstrates that India received 80% more internship applications in 2018, with 2.2 million applications (3)________ 1.27 million in 2017. The rise was influenced (4)__________ part by an increase in the number of industries seeking fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to improve (5)__________ on existing projects. Obtaining an internship prior to entering the job market, which was once viewed as a Western concept, is quickly gaining steam in Indian workplaces.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
- (a)a
- (b)an
- (c)the
- (d)few
Answer
Why
Correct — C. The verb in this clause is has increased, singular, and that decides the article.
The number of plus a plural noun takes a singular verb, because the head of the subject is number: the number of businesses ... has increased.
A number of plus a plural noun is a quantifier meaning several, and it takes a plural verb: a number of businesses have increased. That reading needs have, which the passage does not print.
So option (c) is the article the sentence's own verb allows.
Why the others are wrong
- (a)a — A number of means several and forces a plural verb — a number of businesses have increased. The passage writes has increased, so this article and that verb cannot stand together.
- (b)an — An is chosen before a vowel sound, and number begins with the consonant sound n. This option fails on pronunciation before the agreement question is even reached.
- (d)few — Few is a determiner for countable plurals — few businesses — and cannot stand in front of the singular noun number. Few number of businesses is not English.
Concept
This is a subject-verb agreement item wearing the costume of an article item. The evidence lies downstream of the blank, not beside it.
In the number of plus a plural noun, the grammatical subject is number, a singular noun, so the verb is singular: the number of applications has risen.
In a number of plus a plural noun, the phrase works as a quantifier meaning several, the plural noun becomes the subject, and the verb is plural: a number of applications have arrived.
Fill the blank by reading forward to the verb and matching it, rather than by ear.
The blank opens a long subject, and the verb that settles it sits at the far end of that subject, past a second blank. Locating has increased is the whole task.
Key facts
- The number of plus a plural noun takes a singular verb: The number of applications has risen.
- A number of plus a plural noun takes a plural verb: A number of applications have arrived.
- An is chosen by sound and not by spelling: an hour, a university, a number.
Study next
Common traps
- Choosing a because the noun feels indefinite, without checking that has increased is singular.
- Reading only the words around the blank when the deciding word sits at the end of the clause.
This cloze hides its evidence outside the blank's immediate neighbourhood, which is the reading habit the format rewards.
The same forward reading decides 23 Sep 2024, 09:00, English Q.24, which offers transmit, transmitted, transmits and transmitting and is settled by the grammar of the clause rather than by meaning.
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