Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
A raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of the swan, because her feathers are as white as the purest snow.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. feathers were as white as.
Error concept: Subject–verb agreement & tense consistency.
What is wrong: The subject “feathers” is plural, but the sentence wrongly uses “are.” Also, the narrative is in the past tense (“was envious”), so verb forms must be consistent.
Grammatical concept:
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Plural subject (feathers) takes plural verb (were).
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Past tense consistency must be maintained.
Incorrectness of the concept in context: Using “are” mismatches both the plural subject and the past tense flow of the sentence.
How to correct: Replace “feathers are as white as” with “feathers were as white as.”
Correct phrase/ correction: feathers were as white as
Final sentence: A raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of the swan, because her feathers were as white as the purest snow.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.