English Grammar - Read Mode
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Explanation
'The number of' acts as a singular subject referring to the specific count. Therefore, it requires the singular verb 'was'. If it were 'A number of boys', the verb would be plural ('were').
Explanation
The phrase 'as though' (or 'as if') is followed by the past perfect tense when the preceding verb is in the past tense ('spoke'). This indicates a hypothetical situation in the past.
Explanation
The causative verb 'make' is followed by the base form of the verb (bare infinitive) without 'to'. Therefore, 'work' is the correct form in the phrase 'made the machine work'.
Explanation
Shoring is the process of temporarily supporting a building, vessel, structure, or trench with shores (props) when in danger of collapse or during repairs. Scaffolding is for worker access.
Explanation
Tenacity generally refers to the ultimate tensile strength or the ability of a material to resist breaking under tension. 'Ultimate stress' is the closest technical synonym provided.
Explanation
A beam of uniform strength is designed such that the maximum bending stress is constant along its length. This implies the bending moment capacity matches the applied moment throughout.
Explanation
When the dilution factor is very high (typically above 500), the natural self-purification capacity of the water body is sufficient to handle the sewage without prior treatment.
Explanation
Plywood is constructed by gluing layers of wood veneer with alternating grain directions. This cross-graining equalizes strength, providing relatively consistent tensile strength in all directions.
Explanation
In this sentence, 'politician' renames the subject 'He' and follows the linking verb 'became'. This makes it a subjective complement (or predicate nominative), not a direct object.
Explanation
For a young child or infant when gender is not specified or emphasized, the neutral possessive pronoun 'its' is often used. 'It's' is a contraction for 'it is', which is incorrect here.