bhagwatpriyanka wrote:
The number of acres destroyed by wildfires, which have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have increased dramatically over the past several years, prompting major concern among local politicians.
A. have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have increased
B. have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have been increasing
C. has become an ongoing threat because of drought and booming population density, has increased
D. have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, has increased
E. have become an ongoing threat because of drought and booming population density, has increased
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
A first glance at the answer choices indicates a choice between “have become" and “has become" at the start of the underline: plural vs. singular verbs. The end of the underline also has a have vs have issue with a different verb: “have increased” versus “has increased." While reading the original sentence for meaning, keep these differences in mind.
The subject of the original sentence is "the number of acres," which is singular. The main verb, however, is "have increased," which is plural. We need to find a choice that replaces "have" with "has." Moreover, the phrase "due to" is incorrect in this context. "Due to" is a phrase that must describe a noun. "The fire was due to drought" is correct, but "There was a fire due to drought" is not. When describing a verb phrase, "because of" is preferable: "There was a fire because of drought."
(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.
(B) The plural verb "have been" does not agree with the singular subject "the number of acres." In addition, the phrase "due to drought . . ." is unidiomatic since "because of" (not "due to") should be used to modify the verb phrase "have become an ongoing threat."
(C) The modifier "which has become an ongoing threat . . ." contains the singular verb "has" which does not agree with the plural subject of the clause, "wildfires."
(D) The phrase "
due to drought . . ." is
unidiomatic since "
because of" (not "due to") should be used to modify the verb phrase "
have become an ongoing threat."
(E) CORRECT. The singular verb "has" agrees with the singular subject "the number of acres." Additionally, "
because of drought . . ." is properly used to modify the verb phrase "
have become an ongoing threat."