Choose the best replacement for the phrase "has played puppeteer for" in the…
2025
Choose the best replacement for the phrase "has played puppeteer for" in the sentence below.
For more than three decades, central bankers has played puppeteer for financial markets, propping them up when things turn ugly.
- A.
Have played puppeteer to
- B.
Has played puppeteer to
- C.
Have played puppeteer for
- D.
Had played puppeteer for
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Correct answer: A
Answer: A
The phrase "has played puppeteer for" is incorrect.
The subject "central bankers" is plural, so the auxiliary verb must also be plural: use "have" instead of "has". Also, in this context the idiomatic phrase is "play puppeteer to", meaning to control or manipulate something.
Therefore, the phrase should be replaced with "have played puppeteer to".
Correct sentence: For more than three decades, central bankers have played puppeteer to financial markets, propping them up when things turn ugly.
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