As a nonexpert, although interested, subscriber to VERBATIM, it is  a bit mysterious  to me that the singular noun absence takes the plural verb are .  I refer to the first sentence of your article about the Longman Dictionary [XV,1].
( ( ( As ( ( a ( ( nonexpert ( , ( ( although interested ) , ) ) ) subscriber ) ) ( to VERBATIM ) ) ) ( , ( it ( ( is ( ( a bit ) ( mysterious ( to me ) ) ) ) ( that ( ( the ( singular ( noun absence ) ) ) ( takes ( ( the plural ) ( verb ( are . ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( I ( ( ( refer ( to ( ( the ( first sentence ) ) ( of ( your article ) ) ) ) ) ( about ( the ( Longman ( Dictionary ( -LSB- ( XV ( ,1 -RSB- ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (S (S (PP (IN As) (NP (NP (DT a) (ADJP (ADJP (JJ nonexpert)) (PRN (, ,) (SBAR (IN although) (FRAG (ADJP (JJ interested)))) (, ,))) (NN subscriber)) (PP (TO to) (NP (NNP VERBATIM))))) (, ,) (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ is) (ADJP (NP (DT a) (RB bit)) (JJ mysterious) (PP (TO to) (NP (PRP me)))) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (DT the) (NN singular) (NN noun) (NN absence)) (VP (VBZ takes) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN plural)) (FRAG (: verb) (VP (VBP are)) (. .)))))))) (NP (PRP I)) (VP (VBP refer) (PP (TO to) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ first) (NN sentence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (PRP$ your) (NN article))))) (PP (IN about) (NP (DT the) (NNP Longman) (NNP Dictionary) (NNP -LSB-) (NNP XV) (NNP ,1) (NNP -RSB-)))) (. .)))
The author is concerned about the verb use in VERBATIM magazine.
( ( The author ) ( ( is ( concerned ( about ( ( the ( verb use ) ) ( in ( VERBATIM magazine ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (NN author)) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBN concerned) (PP (IN about) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ verb) (NN use)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NNP VERBATIM) (NN magazine))))))) (. .)))