The results of the traffic survey ______ that most drivers slow down when a crossing guard is present.
Vocabulary and Grammar in Context · ELPAC Grades 9–10 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Extra practice, not a separate task on the real test: a sentence with one word missing, testing the vocabulary and grammar the passages assume.
The question
Read the sentence. Choose the word that best completes it.
The results of the traffic survey ______ that most drivers slow down when a crossing guard is present.
- suggests
- suggestCorrect answer
- suggesting
Why “suggest” is correct
This tests subject-verb agreement when a prepositional phrase sits between the subject and the verb. The subject is 'results', which is plural, so the verb takes no -s; 'of the traffic survey' only describes the results and never controls the verb. A reliable check is to cross out the phrase beginning with 'of' and read what is left.
Why the other answers are wrong
- suggests — 'Suggests' agrees with the singular noun 'survey', which is the nearest noun but not the subject of the sentence.
- suggesting — 'Suggesting' cannot stand alone as the main verb; it would need a helper such as 'are suggesting'.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 9–10, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 9–10. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Education or the official ELPAC program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published task formats.