Sentence Correction

Which one among the following is/are correct and why:

1. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
2. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.
3. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
4. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.

2 and 4 looks fine for me

IMO 1 and 3 are correct .

Singular subject followed by additive phrases remain singular subject .

1. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
2. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.
3. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
4. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.

I have done it based on below

'Either he or I "am" mistaken' or 'either he or I 'is' mistaken'

I think the verb should agree with the nearer one... cat and goldfish

HSPA wrote:I have done it based on below

'Either he or I "am" mistaken' or 'either he or I 'is' mistaken'

I think the verb should agree with the nearer one... cat and goldfish

I am sure about 1 and 2 but i am confused with 3 and 4 . What rule must be followed ? I got a link with of other forum , with a SC question on similar lines :-

https://gmatclub.com/forum/sc-prepositio ... 54610.html

In MGMAT its explicitly mentioned that when the word either or neither are in sentence alone (without or or nor ), they are considered Singular and take only singular verb. But the vice versa condition rule is not mentioned , so i m pretty confused in this case ?

navami wrote:Which one among the following is/are correct and why:

1. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
2. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.
3. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
4. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.

I received a PM asking me to comment.

The phrase as well as is a modifier; it has no effect on the verb. The subject of the sentence determines whether the verb should be singular or plural: his dog....prevents. Thus, #1 above is correct, although the modifying phrase should be set off by commas:

His dog, as well as his cat and goldfish, prevents him from the taking the log trip.

When the subject is X or Y, the noun closer to the verb (Y) determines whether the verb should be singular or plural:

The dog or the cats prevent John from taking the trip.
The cats or the dog prevents John from taking the trip.

Please note that either X or Y and neither X nor Y follow the same rule: the noun closer to the verb (Y) determines whether the verb should be singular or plural:

Either the dog or the cats prevent John from taking the trip.
Neither the cats nor the dog prevents John from taking the trip.

When either and neither are used without the word or, however, each is singular:

Neither prevents him from taking the trip.

Both #3 and #4 above are awkward: the choice between his dog and his cat and goldfish is confusing. Are the cat and the goldfish working together as a team? Regardless, if we had to choose, #4 is better. The compound subject his cat and goldfish is plural and is closer to the verb. Thus, the verb needs to be plural: his cat and goldfish prevent.

Thanks Mitch , cleared all the confusion .

Thanks a ton Mitch!!!

navami wrote:Thanks a ton Mitch!!!

Thanks Navami for creating those sentences , i came to know the minute details and rules .

navami wrote:Which one among the following is/are correct and why:

1. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
2. His dog as well as his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.
3. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevents him from taking log trip.
4. His dog or his cat and goldfish prevent him from taking log trip.

Thanks Navami