Confused about where the verb should agree with the subject? This post provides a comprehensive answer key with clear, step-by-step explanations for our Subject-Verb Agreement MCQ exercise, specifically designed for MDCAT and NUMS aspirants. Each explanation breaks down the grammar rules behind the correct option, helping you understand singular and plural subjects, tricky structures, and common test traps. Strengthen your grammar concepts, avoid mistakes, and prepare effectively for the English portion of MDCAT & NUMS with this detailed guide!
Q.1
Correct option: B. remains
Explanation: The word “None” can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the context. Here, it refers to “not one,” implying a singular subject, so the singular verb “remains” is correct. The other options are either grammatically incorrect (“is remain”) or plural (“remain,” “have remained”), which do not agree with the implied singular subject.
Q.2
Correct option: D. is, is
Explanation: The subject “industry” is singular, so the verb “is” must also be singular. The second blank also requires a singular verb “is” because it refers back to the singular subject “industry.” The other options incorrectly use plural verbs (“are,” “have”) which do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.3
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: The phrase “The number of people” refers to a singular quantity (the number itself), so the singular verb “is” is correct. “Are” would be incorrect because it is plural, while “has” and “have” do not fit the context of the sentence.
Q.4
Correct option: A. has sunk
Explanation: The subject is “The boat,” which is singular, and “along with its passengers” is a prepositional phrase that does not change the subject’s number. Therefore, the singular verb “has sunk” is correct. “Drowned” is incorrect because boats sink, not drown.
Q.5
Correct option: D. is, needs
Explanation: “This pair of scissors” is a singular subject, so the verb “is” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “needs” because it refers back to the singular subject “pair.” The plural options (“are,” “need”) do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.6
Correct option: D. are, have
Explanation: “The cautious” and “the heedless” are plural nouns referring to groups of people, so the plural verbs “are” and “have” are correct. The other options incorrectly use singular verbs (“has”) or mismatched forms.
Q.7
Correct option: B. has, is
Explanation: “The number of skyjackings” is a singular subject, so the singular verb “has” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “is” because it refers to “source,” which is singular. The plural options (“have,” “are”) do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.8
Correct option: A. show, live
Explanation: “Statistics” here refers to data (plural), so the plural verb “show” is correct. The second blank requires the plural verb “live” because it refers to “women,” which is plural. The singular options (“shows,” “lives”) do not fit the context.
Q.9
Correct option: A. has, is
Explanation: “The poultry” is a collective noun treated as singular, so the singular verb “has” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “is” because it describes the collective group as a whole. The plural options (“have,” “are”) do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.10
Correct option: B. is, are
Explanation: “Honor and glory” is a compound subject representing a single idea, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The second blank requires the plural verb “are” because it refers to “he and his father,” which is plural. The other options do not match the subject-verb agreement.
Q.11
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “Salt and pepper” is a compound subject treated as a single unit (a condiment pair), so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural options (“are,” “were,” “have been”) do not fit the context of the sentence.
Q.12
Correct option: B. has been, was
Explanation: “One of the teachers” is singular, so the singular verb “has been” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “was” because it refers to “performance,” which is singular. The other options incorrectly use plural verbs (“were,” “have”).
Q.13
Correct option: C. want, have
Explanation: In “Neither he nor his brothers,” the verb agrees with the closer subject “brothers,” which is plural, so the plural verb “want” is correct. The second blank requires the plural verb “have” because it refers to “they,” which is plural. The singular option (“has”) is incorrect.
Q.14
Correct option: C. was, come
Explanation: “The participant” is singular, so the singular verb “was” is correct. The second blank requires the base form “come” after “to.” The other options (“is,” “coming,” “came”) are grammatically incorrect.
Q.15
Correct option: B. is, shows
Explanation: “He” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “shows” because it agrees with the singular subject “He.” The other options (“show,” “showing,” “have shown”) do not match the subject-verb agreement.
Q.16
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “Either of the routes” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural options (“are,” “were,” “have been”) do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.17
Correct option: D. is, is
Explanation: The subject “industry” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct for both blanks. The plural options (“are,” “have”) do not agree with the singular subject.
Q.18
Correct option: B. have, improve
Explanation: The relative clause “who have done nothing” refers to “politicians,” which is plural, so the plural verb “have” is correct. The second blank requires the base form “improve” after “to.” The singular option (“has”) is incorrect.
Q.19
Correct option: D. has been, helping
Explanation: “One of the problems” is singular, so the singular verb “has been” is correct. The second blank requires the gerund “helping” after “to devote yourself to.” The other options are grammatically incorrect.
Q.20
Correct option: A. do, live
Explanation: “Several” is plural, so the plural verbs “do” and “live” are correct. The singular options (“does,” “lives”) do not agree with the plural subject.
Q.21
Correct option: B. do not, try
Explanation: “Vermin” is a plural noun, so the plural verbs “do not” and “try” are correct. The singular options (“does not,” “tries”) do not agree with the plural subject.
Q.22
Correct option: C. understand, misguide
Explanation: “Few” and “many” are plural, so the plural verbs “understand” and “misguide” are correct. The singular options (“understands,” “misguides”) do not agree with the plural subjects.
Q.23
Correct option: B. come, are
Explanation: “The people” is plural, so the plural verbs “come” and “are” are correct. The singular options (“comes,” “is”) do not agree with the plural subject.
Q.24
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “Ten times five” is a mathematical expression treated as singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.25
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “Your toast and honey” is a compound subject treated as a single item, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.26
Correct option: B. does not seem
Explanation: “Ten minutes” is a period of time treated as singular, so the singular verb “does not seem” is correct. The plural option (“do not seem”) is incorrect.
Q.27
Correct option: B. are, seem
Explanation: “Two thirds of the class” refers to a plural number of students, so the plural verbs “are” and “seem” are correct. The singular options (“is,” “seems”) are incorrect.
Q.28
Correct option: B. are, are
Explanation: “Some of the students” is plural, so the plural verbs “are” and “are” are correct. The singular options (“is,” “has been”) do not agree with the plural subject.
Q.29
Correct option: A. was
Explanation: “Some of the cake” refers to a portion of a singular noun, so the singular verb “was” is correct. The plural options (“were,” “have been”) are incorrect.
Q.30
Correct option: B. are
Explanation: “Fifty percent of the voters” refers to a plural group, so the plural verb “are” is correct. The singular option (“is”) is incorrect.
Q.31
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “The equipment” is a singular collective noun, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural options (“are,” “were”) are incorrect.
Q.32
Correct option: C. need, look
Explanation: “All his pairs of pants” is plural, so the plural verbs “need” and “look” are correct. The singular options (“needs,” “looks”) do not agree with the plural subject.
Q.33
Correct option: C. uplift, is
Explanation: “His thanks” is plural, so the plural verb “uplift” is correct. The second blank requires the singular verb “is” because it refers to “joy,” which is singular.
Q.34
Correct option: A. is, were
Explanation: “Mr. James” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The second blank requires the plural verb “were” because it refers to “arrears,” which is plural.
Q.35
Correct option: A. has
Explanation: “The council” is a collective noun treated as singular here, so the singular verb “has” is correct. The plural option (“have”) is incorrect.
Q.36
Correct option: B. are
Explanation: “The majority” refers to a plural group here, so the plural verb “are” is correct. The singular option (“is”) is incorrect.
Q.37
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “The wages of sin” is a singular concept, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.38
Correct option: C. is
Explanation: “Each of the sisters” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.39
Correct option: A. was
Explanation: “Neither of the men” is singular, so the singular verb “was” is correct. The plural option (“were”) is incorrect.
Q.40
Correct option: D. permits
Explanation: “Justice as well as mercy” is a singular subject, so the singular verb “permits” is correct. The other options are grammatically incorrect.
Q.41
Correct option: A. was
Explanation: “The quality of the mangoes” is singular, so the singular verb “was” is correct. The plural option (“were”) is incorrect.
Q.42
Correct option: D. deserves
Explanation: “John as well as his team mates” is a singular subject, so the singular verb “deserves” is correct. The plural option (“deserve”) is incorrect.
Q.43
Correct option: D. are
Explanation: “You” is plural, so the plural verb “are” is correct. The singular options (“am,” “is”) are incorrect.
Q.44
Correct option: A. is
Explanation: “Neither his father nor his mother” is singular, so the singular verb “is” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.45
Correct option: A. are
Explanation: “The jury” is treated as plural here (individual members), so the plural verb “are” is correct. The singular option (“is”) is incorrect.
Q.46
Correct option: A. am
Explanation: “I” is singular, so the singular verb “am” is correct. The plural option (“are”) is incorrect.
Q.47
Correct option: A. Prove
Explanation: “Statistics” here refers to data (plural), so the plural verb “prove” is correct. The singular option (“proves”) is incorrect.
Q.48
Correct option: B. Are, they
Explanation: “Dominoes” is plural, so the plural verbs “are” and “they” are correct. The singular options (“is,” “it”) are incorrect.
Q.49
Correct option: C. It
Explanation: “Measles” is a singular noun, so the singular pronoun “it” is correct. The plural option (“they”) is incorrect.
Q.50
Correct option: D. Were, them
Explanation: “Spectacles” is plural, so the plural verbs “were” and “them” are correct. The singular options (“was,” “it”) are incorrect.
