Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
Please do not touch Aunt Leela’s pickle jars that ______ drying in the sun on the terrace.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → are
Subject-verb agreement after “that”:
- The verb after “who”, “which” or “that” agrees with the noun that word stands for.
- Here “that” stands for “pickle jars”, which is plural. “Please do not touch” shows the present. So the verb is are.
- Complete sentence: Please do not touch Aunt Leela’s pickle jars that are drying in the sun on the terrace.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: is — Incorrect. “Is” is singular, but “that” stands for the plural “pickle jars”. Example: The shirt that is on the bed is mine.
Option 2: was — Incorrect. “Was” is singular, but “that” stands for a plural noun. Example: The bag that was lost has been found.
Option 3: were — Incorrect. “Were” is plural, but it shows the past. The sentence is about now (“Please do not touch”). Example: The clothes that were on the line got wet yesterday.