Part 2: Subject verb agreement Q&A Flashcards
- The team of engineers ___ working on the project diligently.
a) is
b) are
c) has
d) have
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “The team” is a collective noun, and collective nouns are typically treated as singular, so the correct verb is “is.”
- Neither of the students ___ prepared for the exam.
a) have
b) has
c) are
d) is
Answer: b) has
Explanation: “Neither” is a singular subject, so the correct verb is “has.”
- Many a student ___ surprised by the results.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: “Many a student” is singular in meaning, so the correct verb is “has been.”
- The dogs and the cat ___ playing in the yard.
a) are
b) is
c) were
d) was
Answer: a) are
Explanation: When two subjects are connected by “and,” the verb is typically plural, so use “are.”
- One of the books ___ missing from the shelf.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: “One of the books” is singular, so the correct verb is “has been.”
- Each of the candidates ___ submitted their resume.
a) has
b) have
c) is
d) are
Answer: a) has
Explanation: “Each” is a singular subject, so the correct verb is “has.”
- The box of chocolates ___ almost empty.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “The box of chocolates” is a singular subject, so the correct verb is “is.”
- Some of the cake ___ missing from the plate.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: “Some of the cake” is singular, so the correct verb is “has been.”
- The committee ___ meeting tomorrow.
a) is
b) are
c) has
d) have
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “The committee” is a collective noun, and collective nouns are typically treated as singular, so the correct verb is “is.”
- The music in the background ___ beautiful.
a) sound
b) sounds
c) is sounding
d) were sounding
Answer: b) sounds
Explanation: “The music” is a singular subject, so the correct verb is “sounds.”
- Five dollars ___ a reasonable price for this item.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “Five dollars” is a singular amount, so the correct verb is “is.”
- The news on the radio ___ always interesting.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: “The news” is a singular noun, so the correct verb is “has been.”
- Many cars ___ parked in the lot.
a) have
b) has
c) are
d) were
Answer: a) have
Explanation: “Many cars” is a plural subject, so the correct verb is “have.”
- One of the students ___ late for class.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: “One of the students” is singular, so the correct verb is “has been.”
- The price of tickets ___ increased this year.
a) have
b) has
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has
Explanation: “The price” is a singular noun, so the correct verb is “has.”
- Neither the food nor the service ___ satisfactory.
a) have been
b) has been
c) are
d) were
Answer: b) has been
Explanation: When using “neither…nor,” the verb should agree with the closer subject, which is “service.”
- Both the cat and the kittens ___ adorable.
a) look
b) looks
c) are looking
d) is looking
Answer: a) look
Explanation: When “both…and” is used, the verb should be plural, so use “look.”
- The employees ___ to attend the conference.
a) need
b) needs
c) is needing
d) are needing
Answer: a) need
Explanation: “The employees” is a plural subject, so the correct verb is “need.”
- The quality of the products ___ consistently high.
a) vary
b) varies
c) are varying
d) is varying
Answer: b) varies
Explanation: “The quality” is a singular noun, so the correct verb is “varies.”
- Each of the options ___ a solution.
a) provide
b) provides
c) are providing
d) is providing
Answer: b) provides
Explanation: “Each” is a singular subject, so the correct verb is “provides.”
Question: Neither the teacher nor the students ______ satisfied with the test results.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: When “neither…nor” is used, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it, which is “teacher.” Therefore, “is” is the correct choice.
Question: The committee, along with the chairman, ______ the main speaker at the event.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “The committee,” the subject closest to the verb, is a collective noun treated as singular. Therefore, “is” is the correct choice.
Question: Neither of the options ______ satisfactory to the majority of voters.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “Neither” makes the subject singular, so the correct verb is “is.”
Question: The box of chocolates, along with some flowers, ______ left on the doorstep.
a) was
b) were
c) is
d) are
Answer: a) was
Explanation: The subject closest to the verb is “box,” which is singular, so the correct choice is “was.”
Question: Not only the students but also the professor ______ attending the conference.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) were
Answer: a) is
Explanation: “Not only…but also” requires the verb to agree with the subject closest to it, which is “professor.” Therefore, “is” is the correct choice.
