Direction: Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Everyone in the family ______ been questioned about the theft.
has
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns
The question asks us to choose the correct verb to complete the sentence: "Everyone in the family ______ been questioned about the theft." To answer this, we need to understand subject-verb agreement, particularly with indefinite pronouns like 'everyone'.
Analyzing the Subject 'Everyone'
The subject of the sentence is 'Everyone'. In English grammar, indefinite pronouns such as 'everyone', 'everybody', 'someone', 'somebody', 'no one', 'nobody', 'anyone', and 'anybody' are always treated as singular subjects, even though they refer to a group of people. Therefore, the verb used with these pronouns must be in its singular form.
Identifying the Correct Verb Form
The sentence structure "... ______ been questioned..." indicates a perfect tense construction (present perfect or past perfect passive). The passive voice is formed using a form of 'to be' plus the past participle (questioned). When combined with a perfect tense, it uses a form of 'to have' followed by 'been' and the past participle.
The structure is typically: Subject + (form of 'to have') + been + Past Participle.
Since our subject 'Everyone' is singular, we need the singular form of the verb 'to have' in the present tense, which is 'has'. The plural form is 'have'.
Evaluating the Options
Let's look at the given options:
- has: This is the singular form of the verb 'to have'. It fits with a singular subject like 'everyone' and the perfect tense structure 'been questioned'.
- have: This is the plural form of the verb 'to have'. It is used with plural subjects (like 'they', 'we') or the pronoun 'I' and 'you'. It does not agree with the singular subject 'everyone'.
- are: This is a form of the verb 'to be' used with plural subjects in the present tense. It is not the correct auxiliary verb for the perfect tense 'been questioned'. It could be used for the present continuous passive ('are being questioned') or simple present passive ('are questioned' - less common for this meaning), but not with 'been'.
- is: This is a form of the verb 'to be' used with singular subjects in the present tense. Like 'are', it is not the correct auxiliary verb for the perfect tense 'been questioned'. It could be used for the present continuous passive ('is being questioned') or simple present passive ('is questioned'), but not with 'been'.
Determining the Most Appropriate Option
Based on the analysis of subject-verb agreement for indefinite pronouns and the required verb form for the perfect passive structure, the singular form 'has' is the only option that correctly agrees with the subject 'Everyone' and fits the grammatical construction.
The completed sentence should be: "Everyone in the family has been questioned about the theft."
| Subject Type | Indefinite Pronoun Examples | Required Verb Form (Present Tense) | Example with "questioned" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Everyone, Everybody, Someone, Somebody, No one, Nobody, Anyone, Anybody | Singular (e.g., has, is, goes) | Everyone has been questioned. |
| Plural | (Not applicable for these indefinite pronouns) | Plural (e.g., have, are, go) | (Not applicable) |
Revision Table: Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Here's a quick look at the agreement rules for common subject types:
| Subject | Verb Form |
|---|---|
| Singular Noun (e.g., dog, house) | Singular verb (e.g., eats, is, has) |
| Plural Noun (e.g., dogs, houses) | Plural verb (e.g., eat, are, have) |
| Pronouns I, You | Use plural verb form (e.g., eat, are, have) except 'I am', 'I was' |
| Pronouns He, She, It | Singular verb form (e.g., eats, is, has) |
| Pronouns We, They | Plural verb form (e.g., eat, are, have) |
| Indefinite Pronouns (everyone, etc.) | Singular verb form (e.g., has, is, goes) |
Additional Information on Indefinite Pronouns and Verb Agreement
Understanding indefinite pronouns is key to correct subject-verb agreement. While some indefinite pronouns like 'all', 'some', 'any', and 'none' can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to (e.g., "Some of the water is gone," vs. "Some of the students are here"), pronouns ending in -one, -body, and -thing (like everyone, somebody, nothing) are always singular.
Consider these examples:
- Everyone is welcome. (Singular verb 'is')
- Somebody has left the door open. (Singular verb 'has')
- Nothing was said about it. (Singular verb 'was')
The structure "in the family" is a prepositional phrase that modifies 'Everyone'. It does not affect the singular nature of the subject 'Everyone'. The verb must agree with the subject, not with the noun in the prepositional phrase.
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