Fifteen minutes _ allowed to each speaker.
Correct answer: A. Is
- A. Is
- B. Are
- C. Was
- D. Are being
Explanation
Fifteen minutes is a special compound-subject and it takes the singular verb form 'is'. Since the plural noun (minutes) denotes a specific quantity (15) considered as a whole, a singular verb (is) is generally used.
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About Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement requires the verb to match the true subject in number and person, even when other words intervene. Questions cover collective nouns, compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, either and neither, relative clauses, quantities and inverted sentences, where proximity can falsely suggest the wrong verb.
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