Fill in the blank with the correct option:
Many a student ______ tried to solve this puzzle, but nobody has cracked it so far.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → has
Subject-verb agreement with “many a”:
- “Many a” means many, but it is always followed by a singular noun (many a student, many a time). So it takes a singular verb (has, is, was).
- “Many a student” is singular, so we use has, not “have”.
- Complete sentence: Many a student has tried to solve this puzzle, but nobody has cracked it so far.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: have — Incorrect. “Have” goes with plural subjects. “Many a student” means many students, but in grammar it is singular. Example: Many students have tried this puzzle.
Option 3: are — Incorrect. “Are” is plural, but “many a student” is singular. Example: The students are waiting in the hall.
Option 4: were — Incorrect. “Were” is plural, but “many a student” is singular. Example: My cousins were at the wedding.