karthikpandian19 wrote:Despite the stall tactics and misinformation campaigns perpetrated by some manufacturers, the public, over the past year, have demanded that clean energy become the topic of legislation before the next election cycle.

(A) have demanded that clean energy become
(B) have demanded that clean energy becomes
(C) has demanded that clean energy become
(D) has demanded for clean energy to become
(E) is demanding for clean energy to become

The subject of the sentence is the public. Thus, it must take the singular verb has, not have. Although "the public" obviously has many people, it is still seen as singular. The goes for many similar nouns. For example: My Family lives in America (NOT live, even though there are five people in my family). Another example: The army has been deployed oversees. Be careful however because this is not true for all collective nouns. For example: The police have arrested the robber. You can do a fast Google search and find a list.

As far as C and D, I'm going with "that clean energy become the topic" not "for clean energy to become". I'm sorry but I don't exactly know why. It just sounds better. Does anyone have advice on that one?

OA is C

Alex, see this explanation for your doubt

As far as C and D, I'm going with "that clean energy become the topic" not "for clean energy to become". I'm sorry but I don't exactly know why. It just sounds better. Does anyone have advice on that one?

The difference btwn C & D is the meaning.

C correctly refer "the public has demanded that clean energy become the topic of legislation..." What the public demanded "clean energy to become topic of legislation

Whereas in D, it refers "the public has demanded for clean energy......"and then "to become...." which changes the meaning

alex.gellatly wrote:

karthikpandian19 wrote:Despite the stall tactics and misinformation campaigns perpetrated by some manufacturers, the public, over the past year, have demanded that clean energy become the topic of legislation before the next election cycle.

(A) have demanded that clean energy become
(B) have demanded that clean energy becomes
(C) has demanded that clean energy become
(D) has demanded for clean energy to become
(E) is demanding for clean energy to become

The subject of the sentence is the public. Thus, it must take the singular verb has, not have. Although "the public" obviously has many people, it is still seen as singular. The goes for many similar nouns. For example: My Family lives in America (NOT live, even though there are five people in my family). Another example: The army has been deployed oversees. Be careful however because this is not true for all collective nouns. For example: The police have arrested the robber. You can do a fast Google search and find a list.

As far as C and D, I'm going with "that clean energy become the topic" not "for clean energy to become". I'm sorry but I don't exactly know why. It just sounds better. Does anyone have advice on that one?