Question bank / Form, Structure, and Sense

Reading and Writing · Standard English ConventionsEasy

The ancient Maya city of Tikal, in present-day Guatemala, was home to tens of thousands of people at its peak. The ______ of the city include temples that rise more than 60 meters above the surrounding rainforest.

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

A

ruin's

B

ruins'

C

ruins

D

ruin

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C

The sentence needs a plural noun to agree with the plural verb "include," and nothing belongs to the ruins in this phrase. The plain plural "ruins" is correct.

Choice B is plural but adds a possessive apostrophe, even though the ruins don't own anything here.

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