- Fill in the blanks (i) – (iii) with the appropriate option from those given in the brackets. Many countries (iii) _ (are invest/is investing/are investing) heavily in renewable infrastructure to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation.
- Fill in the blanks (i) – (iii) with the appropriate option from those given in the brackets. Many countries (iii) _ (are invest/is investing/are investing) heavily in renewable infrastructure to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation.
Options
Official answer
are investing — the plural subject 'Many countries' needs 'are' (not 'is'), and the present-continuous form requires the '-ing' participle 'investing' (not the bare 'invest'), giving 'are investing'.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for writing 'are investing'. No half marks. Only this option is acceptable; 'is investing' and 'are invest' score zero.
Hint
Subject is 'Many countries' (plural → 'are'); present continuous needs 'are + verb-ing', so pick the fully correct form.
Quick oral answer
'Are investing' — 'Many countries' is plural, so it takes 'are', and the present-continuous tense requires 'are + investing', not the base form 'invest'.
Common mistakes
- 1.Choosing 'is investing' — grammatically well-formed but singular, so it disagrees with the plural subject 'Many countries'.
- 2.Choosing 'are invest' — the auxiliary 'are' must be followed by the '-ing' participle 'investing', not the base form 'invest'.
Analysis and explanation
Tests subject-verb agreement combined with correct present-continuous formation.
Concept
- Subject 'Many countries' is plural → needs auxiliary 'are', not 'is'.
- Present continuous = be + verb-ing, so the main verb must be 'investing', not the bare form 'invest'.
Key points
- Eliminates 'is investing' (wrong number) and 'are invest' (wrong participle form).
- 'are investing' correctly matches both agreement and tense/aspect (ongoing global effort).
Common mistakes
- Being lured by 'is investing' because it 'sounds' correct in isolation — always check it agrees with the actual plural subject first.
Real-world
- Nations worldwide are actively investing in solar, wind and grid infrastructure to meet climate targets — matching the continuous sense of 'are investing'.
Previously asked
Fill in the blanks: Prerna and Sushil (i) ___________ (has/have/had) spent years together. On growing up they (ii) ___________ (had got/have got/got) separated and went their own ways. Sushil (iii) ___________ (becomes/became/had become) a well-known sports personality...
Fill in the blanks: Gavri was only eight years old, but (a) ________ mountain of family responsibilities had already (b) ________ (c) ________ her head.
Interesting facts
The present-continuous formula is fixed: a form of 'be' (am/is/are) + the '-ing' participle; dropping the '-ing' (as in 'are invest') is one of the most common errors flagged in CBSE gap-fills.
This clause combines two grammar rules in one blank — subject-verb agreement AND continuous-tense formation — which is why examiners include options that fail on only one rule each.
Question details
Q26 of 53 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 10
- Subject
- English (Communicative)
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section C
- Marks
- 1
- Type
- Fill in the Blank
- Chapter
- Grammar
- Topic
- Subject-verb agreement / verb form
- Bloom's level
- apply
- Syllabus topic
- Section C: Grammar — Verbs and Tenses: Subject-Verb Agreement and Present Continuous
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
Spotted a mistake or something unclear?
Tell us and we will fix it.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 'is investing' incorrect?
'Is' is a singular auxiliary, but the subject 'Many countries' is plural. A plural subject must take the plural auxiliary 'are', so 'are investing' is correct.
What is wrong with 'are invest'?
The present-continuous tense is 'be + verb-ing'. After the auxiliary 'are' you must use the '-ing' participle 'investing', not the base verb 'invest', so 'are invest' is ungrammatical.