Step 1: Analyze the subject and verb agreement.
The subject "energy" is singular, so the verb should also be singular. The correct verb form is "was," as it matches the singular subject "energy." Step 2: Analyze each option.
- (A) was: Correct. "Was" is the correct form of the verb to match the singular subject "energy."
- (B) were: Incorrect. "Were" is plural and does not agree with the singular subject.
- (C) can: Incorrect. "Can" is a modal verb and does not fit the sentence structure.
- (D) will: Incorrect. "Will" indicates future tense, but the sentence describes a past action. Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct sentence is "A lot of energy was wasted on finding the dog."