PSAT Writing and Language Question 278: Answer and Explanation

Question: 278

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. captured
• C. will have captured
• D. captures

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Difficulty: Medium

Getting to the Answer: Make sure that the underlined verb matches the tense of the surrounding context and agrees with its subject. The verb should be in the present tense since it refers to the "current image," so eliminate (B) and (C). The subject of the verb "capture" is the compound subject, "The woolly mammoth and the mastodon." Since a compound subject is treated as a plural, the singular verb in (D) is incorrect. Only (A) is left and is correct because it has the correct tense and agrees with its subject.