Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
These days, the sick in our village ______ treated free of charge at the new health centre.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → are
“The” + adjective for a group of people:
- “The” + an adjective like “poor”, “rich” or “sick” means a group of people. It takes a plural verb.
- “The sick” means sick people. “These days” shows the present. So the verb is are.
- Complete sentence: These days, the sick in our village are treated free of charge at the new health centre.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: is — Incorrect. “Is” is singular, but “the sick” means many people. Example: Our health centre is near the bus stand.
Option 2: was — Incorrect. “Was” is singular, but the subject is plural. Example: The doctor was late this morning.
Option 4: were — Incorrect. “Were” is plural, but it shows the past. The sentence is about now (“these days”). Example: The sick were moved to a school during last year’s floods.