If caffeine _____ banned on college campuses, more assignments would be turned in late.

• A. Were
• B. Was
• C. Is
• D. Are

Answer: (A)

This sentence tests how to express a hypothetical, contrary-to-fact condition. When the situation isn’t real now but imagined, English uses a past/subjunctive form in the if-clause and would in the result clause. Therefore, caffeine were banned signals a hypothetical ban, and the consequence would be that more assignments would be turned in late.

Were is the standard choice for the if-clause in these hypothetical structures, even with a singular subject. Using is or are would point to a present or general condition, which doesn’t match the imagined scenario here. Using was is sometimes heard in informal speech, but it’s less correct for formal hypothetical constructions.

So the form with were best fits the intended meaning: if caffeine were banned, more assignments would be turned in late.