If two subjects are joined by the correlative pairs "Either...or" or "Neither...nor,"
the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to it.
If the conjunction "nor" appears in a sentence with "neither," or the conjunction "or" with "either," then the "Neither/Either" rule (section E of this chapter) no longer applies.
In these constructions, neither and either are no longer the subject.
Instead, they function as conjunctions,
working in pairs with nor and or to join two other subjects in the sentence. When this occurs, the verb agrees with whichever subject is closer to it.
This "neither…nor" sentence
contains two subjects: supervisor and staff members.
The third noun, client, is the object. Since the latter subject, staff members,
is plural, we need the plural verb were.
This example is grammatically identical to
the one above except that the correlative conjunction joining the
subjects is either...or. The verb must therefore agree with
the subject closest which is the singular noun child. The proper verb form is the singular is.
Remember to apply this rule only when
both items of the pairs "neither/nor" and "either/or"
are present in the sentence.
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A. 
