Help On SAT Grammar Question

Question

Of course, with tremendous potential \_\_\_\_\_\_ difficulties. a) comes b) has come c) came d) come I put the answer as comes (A) but apparently it is come (D) and this is because of the noun is difficulties, but I don't understand how or why the noun is difficulties instead of potential.

Answer 1

Yes, this is a tricky one!

It's tricky because "potential" is in the place where we normally find the subject, and potential is singular, so "comes" may sound right. However, the structure of this sentence is called "subject-dependent inversion." That means that the dependent clause precedes the subject.

If we read the sentence with the subject at the beginning, we'll intuitively hear the correct verb: "Difficulties come with tremendous potential." Difficulties is plural, so "come" is the correct verb.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

While potential can be noun, as in "Don't squander your potential," it's being used as an adjective in this sentence. Here it modifies difficulties. A synonym for "potential difficulties" is "possible difficulties."

Difficulties is a plural noun, so come is the most appropriate present tense verb.