Bluebook SAT Test Form, Structure, and Sense 6 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The children on the school bus _______ singing songs during the entire trip to the museum.
- was
- is
- were (Correct answer)
- has been
Correct answer: were
'Children' is plural, so the plural past verb 'were' is correct.
Question 2: The new policy requires that every employee _______ a yearly performance review.
- completes
- complete (Correct answer)
- completed
- completing
Correct answer: complete
After 'requires that,' the subjunctive mood is used; the subjunctive form is the base verb 'complete' (without -s).
Question 3: The professor asked the students to revise _______ essays by Friday.
- his or her
- its
- their (Correct answer)
- one's
Correct answer: their
'Students' is plural, so the plural possessive pronoun 'their' is correct.
Question 4: __________ the lab results arrived, the doctors had already begun treatment based on their initial diagnosis.
- Before (Correct answer)
- Although
- Since
- Because
Correct answer: Before
'Before' correctly indicates that the treatment began prior to the arrival of the lab results, showing a logical time sequence.
Question 5: The data from the three independent studies _______ consistent with the original hypothesis.
- is
- are (Correct answer)
- was
- were
Correct answer: are
'Data' is a plural noun (singular: datum); it takes the plural verb 'are.'
Question 6: The novel's protagonist, a young woman from a small village, _______ determined to become a celebrated scientist.
- are
- is (Correct answer)
- were
- have been
Correct answer: is
The subject 'protagonist' is singular; the appositive ('a young woman from a small village') restates but doesn't change the subject.
Question 7: The board of directors, after hours of contentious debate, _______ voted to approve the merger.
- have
- has (Correct answer)
- were
- are
Correct answer: has
'Board' is a singular collective noun, and with 'has voted,' the present perfect correctly conveys a recently completed action.
Bluebook SAT Test Form, Structure, and Sense 6
The children on the school bus _______ singing songs during the entire trip to the museum.