Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1The director of the two regional offices ............... unavailable for comment yesterday.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "was" because the subject head is singular: 'director', not the plural phrase after it.
2Managing three remote teams ............... more patience than most new supervisors expect.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "requires" because a gerund phrase used as the subject is singular.
3The revised budget and the travel policy ............... been approved by the board.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "have" because two subjects joined by 'and' normally take a plural verb.
4Either the manager or her assistants ............... going to call the client before noon.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "are" because with 'either...or', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'assistants'.
5Neither the volunteers nor the coordinator ............... prepared to answer questions from the press.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "is" because with 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'coordinator'.
6Each of the proposals ............... a clear timeline and a realistic estimate of costs.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "has" because 'each of' takes a singular verb even when the noun after 'of' is plural.
7Everyone in the department ............... how sensitive the salary data is.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "knows" because 'everyone' is grammatically singular.
8After weeks of disagreement, the committee, acting as a single body, ............... issued a joint statement.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "has" because 'as a single body' shows the committee is being treated as one unit.
9The criteria for selecting scholarship candidates ............... stricter this year than they were last year.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "are" because 'criteria' is plural.
10Mathematics ............... still compulsory for all first-year engineering students at that university.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "is" because 'mathematics' names a subject of study and is singular.
11She is one of the few colleagues who ............... fluent Mandarin and Arabic.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "speak" because 'who' refers to the plural noun 'colleagues'.
12Two-thirds of the evidence ............... based on interviews conducted more than ten years ago.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "is" because 'Two-thirds of the evidence' is singular when the noun after 'of' is uncountable.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The director of the two regional offices was unavailable for comment yesterday.
- Managing three remote teams requires more patience than most new supervisors expect.
- The revised budget and the travel policy have been approved by the board.
- Either the manager or her assistants are going to call the client before noon.
- Neither the volunteers nor the coordinator is prepared to answer questions from the press.
- Each of the proposals has a clear timeline and a realistic estimate of costs.
- Everyone in the department knows how sensitive the salary data is.
- After weeks of disagreement, the committee, acting as a single body, has issued a joint statement.
- The criteria for selecting scholarship candidates are stricter this year than they were last year.
- Mathematics is still compulsory for all first-year engineering students at that university.
- She is one of the few colleagues who speak fluent Mandarin and Arabic.
- Two-thirds of the evidence is based on interviews conducted more than ten years ago.