Read the sentence: 'Neither the school principal nor the classroom teachers _____ in attendance at the emergency senate meeting yesterday.' Which verb form correctly completes the sentence?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. were
- Step 1: Apply the Rule of Proximity for 'neither... nor': The verb agrees with the subject closest to it. Step 2. The closest subject is 'the classroom teachers', which is plural. Step 3. Since the meeting occurred 'yesterday', past tense is required: 'were'. Answer: were. Why not the others: 'was' is singular; 'is' and 'are' are present tense.
Practise more Reading Comprehension and Summary.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed NECO Senior School Certificate Examination mock tests.
More Reading Comprehension and Summary questions
- Read the following passage:
'The ancient city of Kano has served for over a millennium as the premier commercial hub of the trans-Saharan tr… - Read the passage:
'The ancient city of Kano has served for over a millennium as the premier commercial hub of the trans-Saharan trade in the… - Read the passage:
'Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is widely regarded as the cornerstone of food security in southern and central Nigeria. As a… - Read the passage:
'Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is widely regarded as the cornerstone of food security in southern and central Nigeria. As a… - Read the passage:
'In Chinua Achebe's classic novel Things Fall Apart, the protagonist Okonkwo is defined by an all-consuming dread of perso… - Read the passage:
'In Chinua Achebe's classic novel Things Fall Apart, the protagonist Okonkwo is defined by an all-consuming dread of perso…