Question

Neither Riya nor Gina. ............ any knowledge of the incident Choose the correct verb

• A. has
• B. have
• C. were
• D. are

Answer 1

Answer:

A. has

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement with 'Neither/Nor'

When constructing a sentence with correlative conjunctions like 'neither...nor', the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.

Rule Breakdown:

• Identify the subjects: In the sentence structure 'Neither Subject 1 nor Subject 2 verb ...', the verb's form depends on Subject 2.
• Singular vs. Plural:
  • If Subject 2 is singular, use a singular verb.
  • If Subject 2 is plural, use a plural verb.
  • If one subject is singular and the other is plural, the verb agrees with the one nearer to it.

Application in the Example:

• The subjects are 'Riya' (singular) and 'Gina' (singular).
• 'Gina' is the subject closest to the verb.
• Since 'Gina' is singular, the verb must be singular.
• The singular form of the auxiliary verb 'to have' in the present tense is 'has'.

Common Pitfalls:

• Students sometimes incorrectly make the verb agree with the first subject mentioned ('Riya'), leading to errors.
• Remember, the proximity rule is key when using 'neither...nor', 'either...or', 'not only...but also'.