Question bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
Madagascar split from the African mainland more than 100 million years ago, and its wildlife evolved in isolation. In the island's forests today, there ______ more than 100 species of lemur, all of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
is
has been
are
was
Answer: C
In a sentence beginning with "there," the subject comes after the verb. Here the subject is "more than 100 species," which is plural, so the verb must be "are." The present tense fits "today."
Choice A sounds natural after "there," but it is singular and the subject, "species," is plural.
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