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.
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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.
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