Which word should replace the underlined word? “There [is] three reasons why our school needs a new gym.”
Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grades 10–12 writing. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 2: find and fix an error in a short text. On the real test some of these are typed answers or sentence rewrites. Here they are multiple choice so they can be checked.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Read the sentence. The underlined word has an error. There [is] three reasons why our school needs a new gym. Which word should replace the underlined word?
- areCorrect answer
- be
- was
- has been
Why “are” is correct
This tests subject-verb agreement in sentences that start with "There." The real subject comes after the verb: "three reasons." Because it is plural, the verb must be "are." English learners often use "there is" for everything because it is so common in speech.
Why the other answers are wrong
- be — "Be" is the base form and cannot be the main verb here.
- was — "Was" is singular, and "three reasons" is plural.
- has been — "Has been" is singular, and "there has been three reasons" does not agree.
Practice more of this
More writing practice for Grades 10–12, or see the TELPAS practice test for 10th–12th grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Education Agency or the official TELPAS program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published test design.