In a US national election, one might expect major-party campaigns to focus on the most populous states. However, if polls and past voting data suggest that the outcome in a given state is a foregone conclusion, a campaign will not invest its resources there. Ultimately, a state's voting record and polling data, not its population size, _____ its importance to campaigns.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Explanation
Context: The true subject is "a state's voting record and polling data" — compound plural subject. "Not its population size" is a distracting negative phrase, not an additional subject.
Answer: D) determine
Why? Compound plural subject ("voting record and polling data") → plural verb "determine." The phrase "not its population size" is a parenthetical that doesn't change the compound subject.
Traps:
- A) has determined → singular perfect, wrong for compound subject
- B) determines → singular, wrong for compound subject
- C) determining → non-finite participle; creates a fragment