That night every one of the boat's crew ______ down with fever.
2024
That night every one of the boat's crew ______ down with fever.
- A.
is
- B.
has
- C.
was
- D.
were
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Correct answer: C
Answer: was
Explanation: The phrase "every one" is a singular subject, so it requires a singular verb. The time phrase "that night" places the event in the past, so a past singular verb is needed. Therefore "was" (past singular) is correct: "That night every one of the boat's crew was down with fever."
Why "is" is wrong: "Is" is present tense, but the sentence refers to a past time ("that night").
Why "has" is wrong: "Has" does not form the correct construction with "down with fever" here; it would be ungrammatical. To express past illness, use "was down with fever" or "went down with fever."
Why "were" is wrong: "Were" is plural past tense. Because "every one" is singular, the verb must also be singular, so "was" is correct.
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