Question

Art historians consider the Mona Lisa ____________ one of the greatest works of art.

Short answer

'to be' is the missing word. The complete sentence is 'Art historians consider the Mona Lisa to be one of the greatest works of art'.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the missing word

It is apparent that the given sentence lacks a connecting term or word which links the 'Mona Lisa' with 'one of the greatest works of art'. It is the duty to discover what this missing term is.

Determine the suitable word

Grammatically, the sentence needs an infinitive form of the verb to link 'Mona Lisa' with 'one of the greatest works of art'. The term 'to be' can serve this purpose here.

Insert the word into the sentence

After determining the correct term, the next action is the insertion of 'to be' between 'Mona Lisa' and 'one of the greatest works of art'. Hence the completed sentence becomes 'Art historians consider the Mona Lisa to be one of the greatest works of art'.

Key concepts

Sentence Structure

Understanding sentence structure is essential for constructing clear and effective sentences. A well-structured sentence allows the reader to quickly grasp the meaning and intent behind the words. Typically, a sentence contains a subject, a verb, and an object.
The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something. In our example, 'Art historians' is the subject.
The verb is a crucial part of the sentence that indicates an action or state of being. Here, 'consider' is the verb.
The object receives the action of the verb. In this case, 'the Mona Lisa' is the object because it's what the historians are considering.

Sentences can be simple or compound, depending on the number of subjects and verbs they include. In complex sentences, like our example, additional elements may be connected using conjunctions or specific verb forms, enhancing the sentence structure to convey more information. Properly identifying these parts will help you choose the correct verb form needed to complete a sentence.

Verb Forms

Verb forms play a critical role in determining how actions are expressed within a sentence. In English grammar, verbs can take various forms, such as base form, past tense, past participle, and more.
Let's focus on how to choose the correct verb form to bring clarity and precision to your sentences.

• Base Form: Used for the infinitive form, often paired with 'to'. For example, 'to run' or 'to be'.
• Past Tense: Used to describe actions that have already occurred, like 'ran' or 'was'.
• Past Participle: Often used in perfect tenses, examples include 'run' and 'been'.

The proper selection of a verb form ensures that the sentence accurately conveys the intended action and time frame. In our exercise, 'consider' is in the base form, signaling that the action is current. However, to further detail what the historians are considering, the infinitive form 'to be' is added to connect the Mona Lisa with being one of the greatest works of art.

Infinitive Verbs

Infinitive verbs are a versatile component of English grammar, offering flexibility and precision. An infinitive is often the "to" form of the verb, such as 'to run', 'to eat', or 'to be'. These verbs are not bound by time and hence do not inflect for past or present tenses.
Infinitives can function in several roles within a sentence:

• Noun: As in 'To err is human'.
• Adjective: When they modify a noun, like 'the right thing to do.'
• Adverb: When they modify a verb, as in 'He came to help'.

Infinitive verbs can also introduce infinitive phrases, which include the infinitive verb and any modifiers or complements it may have. In our example sentence, 'to be' is an infinitive verb used to explain or complete the thought initiated by the main verb 'consider'. When used this way, it shows the potential or possible nature of the action, providing a link between subjects and deeper meaning without the constraints of tense or number.