25. Items Involving Verb Problems

The answer choices for this type of problem are all or almost all different forms of the same verb. From the context of the sentence stem, you’ll have to decide which form works best in the sentence. Distractors are generally incorrect for one of these reasons:

• The “verb” is not really a verb.
  Used alone, an infinitive, gerund, or participle cannot be a main verb.
• The verb is active but should be passive, or it is passive but should be active.
  If the subject of the sentence performs the action, the verb must be in the active voice. If the subject of the sentence receives the action, the verb must be in the passive.

The architect designed the building.
(active verb)
The building was designed by the architect.
(passive verb)

• The verb does not agree with its subject.
  Singular subjects require singular verbs; plural subjects require plural verbs.
• The verb is not in the right tense.
  According to the time words or ideas in the sentence, the appropriate tense must be used.
• An unnecessary element comes before the verb.
  Personal pronouns (he, she, it), relative pronouns (what, which, that, and so on), or conjunctions (and, but, and so on) may be used unnecessarily before verbs in some sentences.

∇ Sample Item

Before the late eighteenth century, most textiles ________________ at home.

(A) produced
(B) was produced
(C) producing
(D) were produced

Choice (D) is the best answer. (A) can be considered either an active verb in the past tense or a past participle; both are incorrect. An active verb is incorrect because a passive verb is needed; a past participle is incorrect because a past participle cannot serve as a main verb. (B) is incorrect because the plural subject textiles requires a plural verb, were. (C) is incorrect because, by itself, an -ing form can never be a main verb.