A note from a friend.
“I am back after a two week vacation in New Zealand (my gift to myself on turning 30). I am happy to report that bad grammar is a universal phenomenon with wrong usage of apostrophes at its van. NZ, I was happy to note, is contributing its fair share. (Glad to know we are not alone in this endeavour, friend. It’s a comforting thought that our co-accused are native speakers of the language. Wish you had collected some of the apostrophe gems for display here.)
Anyway, I am glad to see a test and here are my attempts.
[10] The team captain, as well as the players, ______ anxious. (is, are) Ans: Tricky one. I have a nagging feeling that I read a footnote in my grammar text (’Agreement of the verb with the subject’ – Class 7 if I am not wrong) which suggests that in case of a compound subject (one which is singular and the other which is plural), the verb should agree with the subject which is closest to it. In which case the answer should be ‘are’. The sentence also rolls of the tongue better with ‘are’ in it. So I will go with ‘are’. Would definitely like to hear from you on this.”
I totally agree with that. “The team captain, as well as the players are anxious” rolls off the tongue easily. But that’s because we have been hearing people say that. To make the subject plural, we need to upgrade “as well as”. Give it the status of “and”. It’s only then does it become a compound subject. Otherwise “as well as” and what follows it are considered “parenthetical” – something that should be hidden between two curved doors. It keeps the subject singular. So,
The Mayor, {as well as his councillors,} is present.
The team captain, {as well as the players} is anxious.
Here are some teasers:
[1] To take pay and then not do the work ____ dishonest. (is, are)
[2] One of the other fellows ____ stolen the watch. (have, has)
[3] The house, as well as its contents, _____ auctioned. (was, were)
[4] The strain of facing so many difficulties ____ left its mark on him. (has, have)
[5] Both the team captain and the player ______ anxious. (was, were)
[6] Both candidates oppose increased defense spending. Neither of the two candidates _________ (oppose) the war in Iraq.
[7] Both the manager and her assistant have been fired. Neither the manager nor her assistant ________ (have) been notified.
[8] The Professor often goes for long walks in the rain. The lights in his house _________ (go) on at midnight.
[1] is
[2] have
[3] was
[4] has
[5] were
[6] opposed
[7] had
[8] go
1.is
2.has
3.was
4.has
5.were
6.opposed
7.had
8.are
Hi Swetha, why did you choose “have” as answer 2? There is only one sentence here and the subject is “One”.
I accept “opposed” but for Q 7, the answer has to be in the present tense. The first sentence is in the present tense. So the answer is “has”.
Hi Pranav, got all correct except Q 7. Please check the explanation above.
[1] To take pay and then not do the work __is__ dishonest. (is, are)
[2] One of the other fellows _has___ stolen the watch. (have, has)
[3] The house, as well as its contents, __was___ auctioned. (was, were)
[4] The strain of facing so many difficulties __has__ left its mark on him. (has, have)
[5] Both the team captain and the player _were_____ anxious. (was, were)
[6] Both candidates oppose increased defense spending. Neither of the two candidates _____opposes____ (oppose) the war in Iraq.
[7] Both the manager and her assistant have been fired. Neither the manager nor her assistant _____has___ (have) been notified.
[8] The Professor often goes for long walks in the rain. The lights in his house ______go___ (go) on at midnight.
Bingo Shloka!
[1] To take pay and then not do the work _is___ dishonest. (is, are)
[2] One of the other fellows _has___ stolen the watch. (have, has)
[3] The house, as well as its contents, __was___ auctioned. (was, were)
[4] The strain of facing so many difficulties _has___ left its mark on him. (has, have)
[5] Both the team captain and the player __were____ anxious. (was, were)
[6] Both candidates oppose increased defense spending. Neither of the two candidates __opposes_______ (oppose) the war in Iraq.
[7] Both the manager and her assistant have been fired. Neither the manager nor her assistant ___has_____ (have) been notified.
[8] The Professor often goes for long walks in the rain. The lights in his house ___go______ (go) on at midnight.
All correct, Shruti!
1. to take pay and not do the work __is__ dishonest.
2. One of the other fellows __has__stolen the watch
3. The house, as well as its contents__was__ auctioned.
4. The strain of facing so many difficulties _has___ left its mark on him.
[5] Both the team captain and the player __were____ anxious.
[6] Both candidates oppose increased defense spending. Neither of the two candidates _opposes__ the war in Iraq.
[7] Both the manager and her assistant have been fired. Neither the manager nor her assistant __has______ been notified.
[8] The Professor often goes for long walks in the rain. The lights in his house ___go___on at midnight.