Fill in the blank in the following sentence with the most appropriate option:
The details of the crime _________ still awaited.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → are
Subject-verb agreement:
- The verb agrees with the main noun of the subject, not with a noun inside an "of" phrase that follows it.
- This sentence:
- main noun: details (plural);
- "of the crime" only describes the details, so it does not decide the verb;
- "awaited" is passive: the details are (still) awaited, that is, people are still waiting for them; present time, plural verb.
- Complete sentence: The details of the crime are still awaited.
Example: The colour of the flowers is bright red.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: is — Incorrect. "Is" is singular; it would agree with "crime", not with the real subject details.
Option 3: was — Incorrect. "Was" is singular, and "still awaited" describes the present situation, not a past one.
Option 4: has been — Incorrect. "Has" is singular; a plural subject takes have been.
Contrast: "The details of the crime are" (head noun plural) but "The detail of the crimes is" (head noun singular); the noun after "of" never decides the verb.