Which sentence shows correct subject-verb agreement with a plural noun joined by 'nor'?

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Multiple Choice

Which sentence shows correct subject-verb agreement with a plural noun joined by 'nor'?

Explanation:
With “neither … nor,” the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. In this sentence, the nearest noun is “assistants,” which is plural, so the verb should be plural: are. Therefore, “Neither the manager nor the assistants are confident” is the correct form. If the nearer noun were singular, you’d use is (for example, “Neither the manager nor the assistant is confident”). Using a singular verb when the closest subject is plural creates a mismatch, and using a past tense like was doesn’t fit the present-tense meaning of the sentence.

With “neither … nor,” the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. In this sentence, the nearest noun is “assistants,” which is plural, so the verb should be plural: are. Therefore, “Neither the manager nor the assistants are confident” is the correct form.

If the nearer noun were singular, you’d use is (for example, “Neither the manager nor the assistant is confident”). Using a singular verb when the closest subject is plural creates a mismatch, and using a past tense like was doesn’t fit the present-tense meaning of the sentence.

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