Subject-verb agreement is a grammar rule that can be difficult to master. It is essential to match the subject of a sentence with the correct verb form. This may seem like a simple task, but there are some hard questions that can test even the most confident grammarians. In this article, we will explore some of these challenging subject-verb agreement questions.

1. Which verb form is correct? “Neither the students nor the teacher (has/have) arrived yet.”

The correct answer is “has.” The subject of the sentence is “neither,” which is singular. Even though there are multiple nouns in the sentence, the singular “neither” determines the verb form.

2. Which verb form is correct? “The majority of the students (was/were) absent from class today.”

The correct answer is “were.” Although “majority” is singular, it refers to a group of people, so the verb must be plural.

3. Which verb form is correct? “Each of the boys (has/have) a different opinion.”

The correct answer is “has.” “Each” is a singular pronoun, and it always takes a singular verb form.

4. Which verb form is correct? “My brother, as well as his friends, (is/are) coming to the party.”

The correct answer is “is.” “My brother” is the subject of the sentence and is singular, so the verb must match it.

5. Which verb form is correct? “Neither the book nor the pen (was/were) on the desk.”

The correct answer is “was.” Similar to the first question, the subject of the sentence is “neither,” which is singular, so the verb must be singular as well.

6. Which verb form is correct? “The number of students who (is/are) taking the test today is quite high.”

The correct answer is “is.” “Number” is a singular noun, so the verb used to describe it must also be singular. The information about multiple students does not affect the verb form.

7. Which verb form is correct? “The committee (was/were) divided on the issue.”

The correct answer is “was.” “Committee” is a collective noun, which acts as a singular entity, so the verb form must match that.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement can be a challenging grammar rule, but with practice and understanding, it can be mastered. These hard questions offer unique challenges that can help to solidify knowledge of the subject-verb agreement rule. Keep in mind the singular and plural nature of subjects, as well as the collective nature of some nouns, and you’ll be well on your way to correct sentence structure.