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Question

Difficulty: EasySubject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence? 'The principal, together with his dedicated assistants, _____ expected to present the annual report at the board meeting.'

  1. isAnswer
  2. B
    are
  3. C
    were
  4. D
    have been

Answer

The singular verb form 'is' correctly completes the sentence because the true grammatical subject is the singular noun 'The principal'.
The sentence requires the singular present verb form because the grammatical subject is the singular noun phrase 'The principal'. Phrases attached using 'together with' do not form compound plural subjects.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true head noun of the subject clause.
The head noun is 'principal' (singular). The phrase 'together with his dedicated assistants' is parenthetical.
Expressions such as 'together with', 'as well as', and 'along with' introduce prepositional modifiers, not coordinating conjunctions.
2
Select the verb form that agrees in number with the head noun.
The singular verb 'is' agrees with the singular noun 'principal'.
A singular subject requires a singular verb regardless of plural nouns in intervening modifier phrases.

Key Concept

Parenthetical Concord / Error of Proximity
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

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