A subject with a modifier — Aptitude Question
A subject with a modifier: Choose the grammatically correct sentence: Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Sentence Correction
- Section: Verbal Ability
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time target: 60 seconds
Question
Choose the grammatically correct sentence:
Options
- The teacher along with the students were present.
- The teacher along with the students was present.
- The teacher along with the students are present.
- The teacher along with the students have been present.
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: B. The teacher along with the students was present.
Worked solution
- Phrases such as along with, as well as and in addition to are parenthetical and never join a second subject.
- The subject stays singular, so the verb must be was.
Answer: The teacher along with the students was present.
The idea
Cover the modifying phrase with a finger and read the sentence without it. The verb must agree with what is left.
Shortcut. Three of the four verbs — were, are, have been — are plural. With 'along with the students' set aside the subject is 'the teacher', so the one singular verb, was, wins.
Common trap. "The teacher along with the students were present." — the verb is pulled into agreeing with the nearer plural noun, students.