Complete the sentence using the correct verb form and mark your answer in the response sheet.
The life span of certain species __________ very short.
Kerala PSC KAS - 2025,
Answer: B
The verb is is: The life span of certain species is very short.
The verb agrees with the head of the subject, which is life span, a singular noun. The phrase of certain species only describes it, so it does not change the number of the verb.
Were, are and have been are plural forms. They are the trap, because species, the noun just before the blank, looks plural, and here it is. The sentence also states a general truth, which calls for the simple present, so were and have been are wrong for tense as well.
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