Identify the error in the sentence: 'The team of international archaeologists were excavating the ancient Minoan palace on Crete.'
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Subject-verb disagreement between collective head and verb
- Step 1: The subject of the sentence is the collective noun 'team' in the singular, modified by the prepositional phrase 'of international archaeologists'. In formal standard English, a singular collective subject acting as a unified body governs a singular verb: 'was excavating'. Answer: Subject-verb disagreement between collective head and verb. Why not the others: "Dangling participial clause" involves an introductory verbal phrase that lacks a logical subject agent; "Faulty comparative structure" compares two non-equivalent entities or omits necessary comparison terms; "Comma splice between clauses" links two complete independent clauses with only an uncoordinated comma.
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