ACT Writing Verb Tense and Subject Verb Agreement Quiz

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| Questions: 15 | Updated: May 7, 2026
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1. The team ____ their best effort in the championship game yesterday.

Explanation

In this sentence, "gave" is the simple past tense of "give," which is appropriate because it describes an action that was completed in the past during the championship game yesterday. The other options do not fit the past context of the sentence.

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About This Quiz
ACT Writing Verb Tense and Subject Verb Agreement Quiz - Quiz

This quiz tests your mastery of verb tense consistency and subject-verb agreement\u2014two critical skills for the ACT Writing section. You'll identify and correct errors involving present and past tense shifts, singular and plural subjects, and agreement across complex sentences. Perfect your understanding of these grammar fundamentals to boost your ACT... see morescore. Key focus: ACT Writing Verb Tense and Subject Verb Agreement Quiz. see less

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2. Neither the students nor the teacher ____ aware of the schedule change.

Explanation

In the sentence, "Neither... nor..." indicates a negative construction that treats the subjects as plural. Therefore, the verb should agree with the plural sense of the subjects, making "were" the appropriate choice. This ensures grammatical consistency and clarity in the sentence structure.

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3. The data ____ that consumer spending increases during the holiday season.

Explanation

In this sentence, "data" is treated as a singular noun, which is why "shows" is the appropriate verb form. While "data" can be plural in some contexts, it is commonly used as a singular mass noun in everyday language, especially in American English. Hence, "shows" correctly agrees with the singular interpretation.

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4. She walks to the store yesterday and ____ milk and bread.

Explanation

The sentence refers to an action that occurred in the past, indicated by the word "yesterday." Therefore, the past tense form of the verb "buy" is needed. "Bought" appropriately conveys that she completed the action of purchasing milk and bread on that previous day.

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5. The committee ____ divided on the proposal, with members ____ different positions.

Explanation

The use of "were" indicates that the committee's division on the proposal is in the past, aligning with the context of discussing an event that has occurred. "Holding" suggests that members are actively maintaining their differing positions, emphasizing ongoing disagreement. Together, they accurately reflect the committee's situation regarding the proposal.

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6. Either John or his siblings ____ responsible for washing the dishes.

Explanation

In this sentence, "Either John or his siblings" indicates a choice between two subjects. Since "siblings" is plural, the verb must agree with this plural noun. Therefore, "are" is the appropriate choice to indicate that the responsibility of washing the dishes falls on either John or his siblings collectively.

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7. The number of applicants ____ significantly this year compared to last.

Explanation

In this sentence, "increases" is the appropriate choice because it fits the present tense structure of the statement. The phrase "number of applicants" is singular, so the verb must agree in number, making "increases" the correct form to indicate a current trend compared to last year.

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8. After she completed her degree, she ____ a job in marketing and ____ there for five years.

Explanation

The sentence requires the past tense to describe completed actions. "Found" indicates that she secured a job after her degree, while "worked" shows that she was employed in that position for a duration of five years. Both verbs correctly reflect the timeline of events.

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9. The audience ____ on their feet when the performance ended.

Explanation

The past tense "stood" indicates that the action of the audience rising to their feet occurred in the past, specifically when the performance ended. This aligns with the context of a completed event, emphasizing the audience's reaction at that moment.

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10. Every student and teacher ____ required to attend the assembly.

Explanation

In this sentence, "Every student and teacher" is treated as a singular collective subject. Therefore, the singular verb "is" agrees with the singular subject, indicating that each individual within the group must attend the assembly. Using "are," "were," or "have been" would incorrectly imply a plural subject.

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11. The majority of the budget ____ allocated to infrastructure improvements.

Explanation

In this sentence, "the majority" is treated as a singular noun, which requires a singular verb form. Therefore, "has been" is the appropriate choice to indicate that a significant portion of the budget for infrastructure improvements was allocated in the past and continues to be relevant.

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12. While he studied for the exam, he ____ notes and ____ key concepts.

Explanation

In this context, "took" is the past tense of "take," matching the past action of studying, while "highlighted" is also in the past tense, indicating completed actions. Both verbs need to be in the same tense to maintain grammatical consistency, making "took, highlighted" the correct choice.

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13. The series of events ____ unprecedented in the company's history.

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14. Both the manager and his assistant ____ responsible for the error.

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15. As soon as the announcement was made, employees ____ excited and ____ celebrating.

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The team ____ their best effort in the championship game yesterday.
Neither the students nor the teacher ____ aware of the schedule...
The data ____ that consumer spending increases during the holiday...
She walks to the store yesterday and ____ milk and bread.
The committee ____ divided on the proposal, with members ____...
Either John or his siblings ____ responsible for washing the dishes.
The number of applicants ____ significantly this year compared to...
After she completed her degree, she ____ a job in marketing and ____...
The audience ____ on their feet when the performance ended.
Every student and teacher ____ required to attend the assembly.
The majority of the budget ____ allocated to infrastructure...
While he studied for the exam, he ____ notes and ____ key concepts.
The series of events ____ unprecedented in the company's history.
Both the manager and his assistant ____ responsible for the error.
As soon as the announcement was made, employees ____ excited and ____...
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