Which word should replace the underlined word? “Everyone in the seventh-grade choir [have] a part in the spring concert.”
Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grades 6–7 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
Read the sentence. The underlined part has an error.
Everyone in the seventh-grade choir [have] a part in the spring concert. Which word should replace the underlined word?
- are having
- hasCorrect answer
- having
- haves
Why “has” is correct
This tests subject–verb agreement with an indefinite pronoun. "Everyone" refers to a group but is grammatically singular, like "each person," so it takes "has." The plural word "choir" nearby can tempt students to choose a plural verb.
Why the other answers are wrong
- are having — "Are" is plural, but "everyone" is treated as singular.
- having — "Having" cannot be the main verb of a sentence on its own.
- haves — "Haves" is not a standard verb form; the singular form of "have" is "has."
Practice more of this
More writing practice for Grades 6–7, or see the TELPAS practice test for 6th and 7th 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.