Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
Such ______ the delays on the Mumbai local trains last Monday that half our class reached school after the first period.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → were
Subject-verb agreement when the subject comes after the verb:
- In a sentence that begins with “Such”, the verb comes before the subject. It still agrees with the subject.
- The subject is “the delays”, which is plural. “Last Monday” shows the past. So the verb is were.
- Complete sentence: Such were the delays on the Mumbai local trains last Monday that half our class reached school after the first period.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: was — Incorrect. “Was” is singular, but the subject “the delays” is plural. Example: Such was the heat that the road felt soft.
Option 2: is — Incorrect. “Is” shows the present. The sentence is about the past (“last Monday”). Example: The local train is late again today.
Option 3: are — Incorrect. “Are” shows the present. The sentence is about the past (“last Monday”). Example: The local trains are crowded every morning.