In the following question, the sentence given with a blank is to be filled in with an appropriate word. Select the correct alternative out of the four and indicate it by selecting the appropriate option.
Anita _________ a collection of every nation's currency.

Question

In the following question, the sentence given with a blank is to be filled in with an appropriate word. Select the correct alternative out of the four and indicate it by selecting the appropriate option.

Anita _________ a collection of every nation's currency.

Prepp Team · Accepted Answer

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement for Sentence Completion

The question asks us to fill in the blank in the sentence "Anita _________ a collection of every nation's currency." with the most appropriate word from the given options. This requires understanding subject-verb agreement in English grammar.

Analyzing the Sentence Subject

The subject of the sentence is "Anita". "Anita" is a singular noun, specifically a third-person singular subject.

In English, the verb must agree with its subject in number (singular or plural). For most verbs in the simple present tense, a singular third-person subject (like he, she, it, or a singular name like Anita) takes a verb form ending in '-s' or '-es'.

Evaluating the Options based on Subject-Verb Agreement

Let's look at each option:

Option 1: Has
The word "Has" is the correct form of the verb "to have" used with a singular third-person subject in the present tense. For example, "He has a car," "She has a book," "It has a lid," "Anita has a collection." This fits the subject "Anita".
Option 2: Possess
The word "Possess" is the base form of the verb "to possess". In the present tense, this form is used with plural subjects (like they, we, you, or multiple names) or with "I". For example, "They possess great wealth," "I possess a rare coin." For a singular third-person subject like "Anita", the correct form would be "possesses". Therefore, "Possess" is incorrect here.
Option 3: Is
The word "Is" is a form of the verb "to be". While "is" is used with singular third-person subjects, it is typically used in sentences describing a state of being or linking the subject to an adjective or noun complement. For example, "Anita is happy," "Anita is a student." It is not used in this structure to indicate possession of a collection.
Option 4: Have
The word "Have" is the base form of the verb "to have". In the present tense, this form is used with plural subjects (like they, we, you, or multiple names) or with "I". For example, "They have many friends," "I have a pet." For a singular third-person subject like "Anita", the correct form is "has". Therefore, "Have" is incorrect here.

Determining the Correct Word

Based on the rules of subject-verb agreement for a singular third-person subject ("Anita") in the present tense, the verb must be in the form used with 'he', 'she', or 'it'. Out of the given options, only "Has" fits this requirement to indicate possession.

The completed sentence should be: "Anita has a collection of every nation's currency."

Revision Table: 'Has' vs 'Have'

Verb Form	Subject(s) Used With (Present Tense)	Example
Has	He, She, It, Singular Nouns (e.g., Anita, dog, book)	She has a new phone.
Have	I, You, We, They, Plural Nouns (e.g., students, dogs, books)	They have a meeting.

Additional Information: Subject-Verb Agreement Basics

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar. It means that the verb in a sentence must match the number (singular or plural) of its subject. Here are some key points:

Singular subjects take singular verbs.
Plural subjects take plural verbs.
The pronoun "I" and "You" are treated as plural for verb agreement in the present tense, even though they refer to one person (e.g., I have, you have).
Verbs ending in -s are often singular in the present tense (e.g., walks, runs, has).
Nouns ending in -s are usually plural (e.g., dogs, books). Be careful not to confuse plural nouns with singular verbs that end in -s.