Circle the correct verb in the following sentences1. The rhythm of the pounding waves is / are calming.
2. All of the dogs in the neighborhood were / was barking.
3. A high tax, not to mention unemployment, influence / influences votes.
4. My friends and my mother like / likes each other.
5. The team and the band was / were on the field.
6. Building a good marriage and building a good log fire is / are similar in many ways.
7. John or Doris write / writes to us regularly.
8. Neither Carol nor Ted is / are excluded from the meeting.
9. Either Patty or Tom was / were asked to lead the meeting.
10. Neither the basket nor the apples was / were expensive.
11. Neither the apples nor the basket was / were expensive
12. Either Maria or you was / were late for class.
13. Either you or Maria was / were late for class.
14. Hardest hit by the high temperatures and the drought was / were the farmers.
15. Neither of them like / likes going to the show.
16. Each of them has / have a good seat.
17. Everybody in the class has / have tickets.
18. Every silver knife, fork, and spoon has / have to be counted.
19. Each cat and each dog has / have its own toy.
20. The committee is / are meeting today.
21. Ten million gallons of oil is / are a lot of oil.
22. The jury vote / votes today.
23. The number is / are very small.
24. A number of students was / were absent.
25. Ten million gallons of oil was / were spilled.
26. The majority of us is / are in favor.
27. Statistics is / are an interesting subject. Statistics is / are often misleading.
28. The sheep stray / strays when the gate is left open. Sheep stray / strays when the gate
is left open.
Answers
The correct verb form in the sentences is as follows-
1. The rhythm of the pounding waves is calming.
2. All of the dogs in the neighborhood were barking.
3. A high tax, not to mention unemployment, influences votes.
4. My friends and my mother like each other.
5. The team and the band were on the field.
6. Building a good marriage and building a good log fire are similar in many ways.
7. John or Doris writes to us regularly.
8. Neither Carol nor Ted is excluded from the meeting.
9. Either Patty or Tom was asked to lead the meeting.
10. Neither the basket nor the apples were expensive.
11. Neither the apples nor the basket was expensive
12. Either Maria or you were late for class.
13. Either you or Maria was late for class.
14. Hardest hit by the high temperatures and the drought were the farmers.
15. Neither of them likes going to the show.
16. Each of them has a good seat.
17. Everybody in the class has tickets.
18. Every silver knife, fork, and spoon has to be counted.
19. Each cat and each dog has their own toy.
20. The committee is meeting today.
21. Ten million gallons of oil is a lot of oil.
22. The jury votes today.
23. The number is very small.
24. A number of students were absent.
25. Ten million gallons of oil were spilled.
26. The majority of us are in favor.
27. Statistics is an interesting subject. Statistics are often misleading.
28. The sheep strays when the gate is left open. Sheep stray when the gate is left open.
- The form of the verb changes as per the singularity or plurality of the subject.
- In the case of singular, we add 's' at the end of the verb, use was or has. In the case of plural, were, have is used.
- If one subject is singular, the other is plural, the verb changes as per the subject which is closer.
Answer: 1 is, 2 were, 3 influence, 4 like,5
Explanation: