Complete the sentence: These days, over 75% of the cups of tea drunk in Britain _________ made with tea bags.

Complete the sentence: These days, over 75% of the cups of tea drunk in Britain _________ made with tea bags.

• A. Are
• B. Is
• C. Were
• D. Be

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is subject-verb agreement with percentages modifying a plural noun. The phrase these days refers to a present-time statement, and the subject is the portion of a plural thing—over 75% of the cups of tea. When you’re talking about a portion of something plural, you normally use a plural verb. So the sentence should read are made with tea bags. Using is would treat the subject as a single unit, which isn’t appropriate for a large number of cups, and were would suggest past time, not the present habit. Be isn’t correct after a present-tense clause.

The main idea here is subject-verb agreement with percentages modifying a plural noun. The phrase these days refers to a present-time statement, and the subject is the portion of a plural thing—over 75% of the cups of tea. When you’re talking about a portion of something plural, you normally use a plural verb. So the sentence should read are made with tea bags. Using is would treat the subject as a single unit, which isn’t appropriate for a large number of cups, and were would suggest past time, not the present habit. Be isn’t correct after a present-tense clause.