TGPSC HMWSSB Manager 2015 Paper 1 · Question 132
Question 132 of the TSPSC Manager (Engineering), HMWSSB, 2015: Paper 1 (General Studies) (1 November 2015). Try it first, then open the answer and explanation.
Eighty days ______ not enough to complete this project.
- are
- is
- were
- am
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Answer: (1) are
The key treats "Eighty days" as a plural subject and so takes the plural verb "are". Standard grammar books (e.g. Wren & Martin) treat a plural noun that names a specific amount of time, money or distance considered as a whole as singular ("Ten miles is a long distance"), so many would mark "is" here. (Official final key; some sources differ.)