Choose the correct form to complete the sentence: The list of items ___ on the desk.

• A. are
• B. is
• C. were
• D. has

Answer: (B)

Subject-verb agreement hinges on the number of the subject. In this sentence, the subject is the singular noun “list,” even though it’s followed by the prepositional phrase “of items.” That phrase adds detail but doesn’t change the number. So the verb should be singular: is. This gives: “The list of items is on the desk.” Using “are” would treat the subject as plural, which isn’t correct here, and “were” is past tense, not appropriate for describing a current location. “Has” would change the verb to a different meaning and doesn’t fit the sentence structure for stating location.