Fill in the blank with the correct option. Sentence: The number of ______…
2019
Fill in the blank with the correct option.
Sentence:
The number of ______ adults has increased from 1998 to 1999.
- A.
violence criminal involve
- B.
violent crimes involving
- C.
crimes involve
- D.
violence crime involve
Attempted by 61 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct answer: violent crimes involving
Explanation: The phrase after 'the number of' must be a plural noun phrase that the quantifier applies to. 'Violent crimes' is a plural noun phrase and 'involving' is a present participle that links the crimes to adults. Together they form a correct modifier: 'The number of violent crimes involving adults has increased from 1998 to 1999.'
Why alternatives fail: Using 'violence' (an uncountable noun) or mixing word order creates an ungrammatical phrase after 'the number of'.
Grammar tip: After 'the number of' use a plural noun or noun phrase (e.g., 'crimes'), and use a present participle ('involving') to show the relation to 'adults'.