QOTD 5/10/2026

The set with eight different books _____ so repetitively read by Albertha that at least three of them have covers that were starting to nearly fall off.

A) has been B) have been C) were D) are

The correct answer is (A).

current priority level - we all want this one

If you are not 100.3% sure that (A) is the correct answer here, read everything that’s below.

We get why you might have thought tense was getting tested here, but this is why we give credit to the test writers for very much knowing how to potentially misdirect.(We say “potentially”, because eventually we are unmisdirectable, sì?)

We start with our friend the 3/4 SvP Pattern, which we think of because we see the words “has”, “have”, “were”, and “are” within the answer options. Whether we use the word “she” or “they” in front of each of the options, we can come to the confident conclusion that option (A) is different from the other three options.

We love smashing this question via the Pattern above, and, if you are on a Path to 650+, you can stop reading now. We shall give you a moment to depart. Ciao amici.👋🏽

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If you’re on a Path to 700+, you want to know with certainty that the singular subject here is the word “set”. You do not have to spot the preposition “with”, but that is certainly a cue that “set” is our subject. The singular subject of “set” dictates the use of the singular verb “has”.

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