Question

Select the correct option: Neither the editor nor the contributors willing --------to accept the changes unconditionally.

• A. was
• B. were
• C. has been
• D. is

Answer 1

Answer:

B. were

were

When two subjects are joined in a sentence by the correlative conjunctions "neither... nor" (or "either... or"), the verb must always agree with the closer subject (the one nearest to the blank).

Let's break down your specific sentence:

"Neither the editor (Subject 1) nor the contributors (Subject 2) ______ willing to accept the changes unconditionally."

• Subject 1: The editor (Singular)

• Subject 2: The contributors (Plural)

Because "contributors" is plural and sits right next to the blank space, the verb must also be plural. Therefore:

• "were" is correct (Plural, past tense).

• "was" or "is" would be incorrect because they are singular.