Which word should replace the underlined word? “The dogs [was] hungry after the walk.”
Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grade 2 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. The dogs [was] hungry after the walk. Which word should replace the underlined word?
- is
- be
- wereCorrect answer
- am
Why “were” is correct
Was is used for one person or thing, and were is used for more than one. "The dogs" means more than one dog, and the sentence is about the past, so the verb must be were. Matching was and were to the subject is a common error for English learners.
Why the other answers are wrong
- is — Is is for one thing, and it is for now, not the past. The dogs are more than one.
- be — "The dogs be hungry" is not correct English. Be needs to change to match the subject.
- am — Am is used only with I.
Practice more of this
More writing practice for Grade 2, or see the TELPAS practice test for 2nd 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.