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Subject-Verb Agreement - 1

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by gmattesttaker2 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:58 am
These are taken from MGMAT SC guide:

1) The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter were interested in moving.

Ans:
The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter was interested in moving.

Can you please tell me what the subject is?



2) I was so thirsty that either of the two drinks were fine with me

Ans:
I was so thirsy that either of the two drinks was fine with me

[spoiler]I am not clear why it is "was" and not "were" since drinks is plural.[/spoiler] Can you please help?


Thanks and Regards,
Sri
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by niketdoshi123 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:20 am
niketdoshi123 wrote:These are taken from MGMAT SC guide:

1) The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter were interested in moving.

When phrases such as or,either .... or ,or neither... nor are used, find the noun closest to the verb, and make sure that the verb agrees in number with this noun.

Here the closest noun to the verb is daughter, hence was agrees in number.

Correct sentence : The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter was interested in moving.


2) I was so thirsty that either of the two drinks were fine with me

when the words either or neither are in a sentence alone( without or or nor ), they are considered singular and take only singular verbs.

Hence the use of was is correct
Correct sentence : I was so thirsty that either of the two drinks was fine with me
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by gmattesttaker2 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:26 am
niketdoshi123 wrote:
niketdoshi123 wrote:These are taken from MGMAT SC guide:

1) The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter were interested in moving.

When phrases such as or,either .... or ,or neither... nor are used, find the noun closest to the verb, and make sure that the verb agrees in number with this noun.

Here the closest noun to the verb is daughter, hence was agrees in number.

Correct sentence : The travelling salesman was dismayed to learn that neither his sons nor his daughter was interested in moving.


2) I was so thirsty that either of the two drinks were fine with me

when the words either or neither are in a sentence alone( without or or nor ), they are considered singular and take only singular verbs.

Hence the use of was is correct
Correct sentence : I was so thirsty that either of the two drinks was fine with me

Hi Niket,

Thanks for your reply. Is "sons nor his daughter " subject in Qn 1 and is "Either of the drinks" subject in Qn. 2?

Thanks again.

Regards,
Sri
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by niketdoshi123 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:35 pm
gmattesttaker2 wrote:
Hi Niket,

Thanks for your reply. Is "sons nor his daughter " subject in Qn 1 and is "Either of the drinks" subject in Qn. 2?

Thanks again.

Regards,
Sri
A subject is a noun or pronoun that "goes with" the verb.
In question 1 , daughter(noun) goes with the verb was. hence daughter is the subject here.

In question 2 , either(pronoun) goes with the verb was. therefore either is the subject.
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by gmattesttaker2 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:36 pm
niketdoshi123 wrote:
gmattesttaker2 wrote:
Hi Niket,

Thanks for your reply. Is "sons nor his daughter " subject in Qn 1 and is "Either of the drinks" subject in Qn. 2?

Thanks again.

Regards,
Sri
A subject is a noun or pronoun that "goes with" the verb.
In question 1 , daughter(noun) goes with the verb was. hence daughter is the subject here.

In question 2 , either(pronoun) goes with the verb was. therefore either is the subject.
Hi Niket,

Thank you very much for the explanation.

Best Regards,
Sri
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