In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select 'no improvement'. Data of seizure of tiger body parts reveal that of the 14 cases, five (was reported) inside their serves.
Understanding Sentence Improvement and Subject-Verb Agreement
The question asks us to improve the bracketed part "(was reported)" in the sentence: "Data of seizure of tiger body parts reveal that of the 14 cases, five (was reported) inside their serves." We need to choose the option that makes the sentence grammatically correct, considering subject-verb agreement and the context.
Analyzing the Bracketed Part: (was reported)
The phrase "(was reported)" is a verb phrase in the passive voice. We need to identify the subject this verb phrase refers to in the sentence. The sentence states "of the 14 cases, five (was reported)". The subject of the verb is "five", which refers to "five cases".
Subject-Verb Agreement Explained
A fundamental rule in English grammar is subject-verb agreement. This means the verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject.
- If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular.
- If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
In our sentence, the subject is "five" (referring to "five cases"). Since "five cases" is plural, the verb agreeing with it must also be plural.
Why the Original Phrase is Incorrect
The original phrase uses "was reported". The verb "was" is the past tense singular form of the verb "to be". Since the subject "five" (five cases) is plural, using the singular verb "was" violates the rule of subject-verb agreement. Therefore, "five was reported" is grammatically incorrect.
Evaluating the Improvement Options
Let's look at the given options to find the correct verb form that agrees with the plural subject "five" and fits the context (past tense, passive voice).
Option 1: Was reports
- "Was" is a singular past tense verb.
- "reports" is either a plural noun or a third-person singular present tense verb.
- Combining "was" and "reports" does not form a correct verb phrase in English. It is grammatically incorrect.
Option 2: Were reported
- "Were" is the past tense plural form of the verb "to be".
- "reported" is the past participle of the verb "report".
- "Were reported" is a past tense passive voice verb phrase.
- The subject is "five" (plural). The verb "were" is plural, agreeing with the subject.
- This option correctly uses a plural verb form ("were") with the plural subject ("five") in the appropriate passive voice and past tense.
Option 3: Is reported
- "Is" is the present tense singular form of the verb "to be".
- "reported" is the past participle.
- "Is reported" is a present tense passive voice verb phrase.
- While the subject "five" could agree with a plural present tense verb ("are reported"), the context of the sentence, which mentions "seizure" (past event) and uses "reveal" (which could imply ongoing data revelation but the reported event itself is likely past), strongly suggests a past tense is needed for the reporting of specific cases. Also, "Is reported" is singular, while the subject "five" is plural. This option is grammatically incorrect for the subject and likely incorrect for the tense.
Option 4: No improvement
- As established, the original phrase "(was reported)" is grammatically incorrect because it uses a singular verb "was" with a plural subject "five".
- Therefore, improvement is needed.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis of subject-verb agreement and tense/voice, the only option that correctly uses a plural verb ("were") that agrees with the plural subject ("five" referring to "five cases") in the past tense passive voice is "Were reported".
The improved sentence reads: "Data of seizure of tiger body parts reveal that of the 14 cases, five were reported inside their serves."
| Original Phrase | Subject | Subject Number | Verb | Verb Number | Agreement? | Correct? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (was reported) | five (cases) | Plural | was | Singular | No | Incorrect |
Revision Table: Subject-Verb Agreement
| Subject Number | Verb Form (Past Tense 'to be') | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | was | One case was reported. |
| Plural | were | Five cases were reported. |
Additional Information: Passive Voice
The structure "subject + be verb + past participle" is used to form the passive voice. The passive voice is used when the action is more important than the doer of the action, or when the doer is unknown or obvious. In this sentence, "five cases were reported," the focus is on the cases being reported, not on who did the reporting.
Examples of Passive Voice:
- The book was written by her. (Focus on the book and the writing)
- Mistakes were made. (Focus on the mistakes, doer not specified)
- Five cases were reported inside their serves. (Focus on the cases and where they were reported)
Important Questions from Phrase Replacement
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
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