Select the most appropriate option to replace the underlined part of the sentence. If no improvement is needed, choose ‘No improvement’.
Before the district meet, a pair of brand-new spikes was handed to each runner in our relay team.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → No improvement
“A pair of” takes a singular verb:
- In “a pair of brand-new spikes”, the subject is a pair, not “spikes”.
- One pair is one set. So the verb is singular, and was handed is correct.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: were handed — Incorrect. “Were” is plural, but the subject “a pair” is singular. Example: Two pairs of spikes were handed to the captain.
Option 2: have been handed — Incorrect. “Have” is plural, so it cannot go with the singular subject “a pair”. Example: The answer sheets have been handed to the class teacher.
Option 3: was handing — Incorrect. “Was handing” would mean that the spikes gave something to the runners. Someone gave the spikes, so the sentence needs “was handed”. Example: The coach was handing out the T-shirts when it began to rain.