1. The President of Costa Rica, along with two vice-presidents, are elected for a four-year term by the people.

a) are elected for a four-year term by the people.
b) are elected, by the people, for a four-year term.
c) is elected for a four-year term by the people.
d) are elected for four-year terms by the people.
e) is elected for four-year terms by the people.

The President of Costa Rica, along with two vice-presidents, are elected for a four-year term by the people.

Grammar issue presented:
subject/verb agreement: subject/verb separation
‘along with two vice-presidents’ separates the 'president of Costa Rica' (singular) from the verb ‘are’ (plural)

a) are elected for a four-year term by the people.
Subject / verb agreement? NO (president / are)

b) are elected, by the people, for a four-year term.
Subject / verb agreement? NO (president / are)

c) is elected for a four-year term by the people.
Subject / verb agreement? YES (president / is)
Additional errors? none

d) are elected for four-year terms by the people.
Subject / verb agreement? NO (president / are)

e) is elected for four-year terms by the people.
Subject / verb agreement? YES (president / is)
Additional errors? Change in meaning! : ‘four year terms’

(C) shows the correct subject-verb agreement; no additional errors are created.

2. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to one of the most impressive collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

a) which contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
b) which contain 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
c) containing 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
d) which is containing 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
e) contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, is home to

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to one of the most impressive collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

Grammar issue presented:
subject/verb agreement: subject/verb separation
‘which contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period’ separates ‘The Egyptian Museum in Cairo’ (singular) from the verb ‘are’ (plural)

a) which contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
Subject / verb agreement? NO (museum / are)

b) which contain 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
Subject / verb agreement? NO (museum / are)
Additional errors? ’which contain’

c) containing 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
Subject / verb agreement? NO (museum / are)

d) which is containing 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, are home to
Subject / verb agreement? NO (museum / are)

e) contains 120,000 objects from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period, is home to
Subject / verb agreement? YES (museum / is)
Additional error? None

(E) shows the correct subject-verb agreement; no additional errors are created.

3. A number of colorful glass vases were displayed in the store window.

a) were displayed in the store window.
b) was displaying in the store window.
c) was displayed in the store window.
d) displayed in the store window.
e) were being displayed in the store window.

A number of colorful glass vases were displayed in the store window.

Grammar issue presented:
subject/verb agreement: Quantity Words
‘a number’ always takes a plural verb
‘the number’ always takes a singular verb

a) were displayed in the store window.
Subject/verb agreement? YES (a number/ were)
Additional errors? none

b) was displaying in the store window.
Subject/verb agreement? NO (a number/ was displaying)
Additional errors? ‘displaying’

c) was displayed in the store window.
Subject/verb agreement? NO (a number/ was displayed)

d) displayed in the store window.
Subject/verb agreement? NO – part of the verb ('was'/'were') is missing!

e) were being displayed in the store window.
Subject/verb agreement? YES (a number/ were)
Additional errors? ‘being displayed’ is wordy

(A) is the best choice, because it agrees subject with verb and is concise.

4. Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee were able to win the competition.

a) Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee were
b) Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee was
c) Neither of the students from our school nominated for the national spelling bee were
d) Neither of the students nominated for the national spelling bee from our school were
e) Neither one of our school’s students who was nominated for the national spelling bee was

Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee were able to win the competition.

Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement: neither/either
‘Neither’ is always a singular subject and thus takes a singular verb. The original sentence uses ‘were,’ which is plural.

a) Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee were
Subject/verb agreement? NO (neither/were)

b) Neither of our school’s students nominated for the national spelling bee was
Subject/verb agreement? YES (neither/was)
Additional errors? None

c) Neither of the students from our school nominated for the national spelling bee were
Subject/verb agreement? NO (neither/were)

d) Neither of the students nominated for the national spelling bee from our school were
Subject/verb agreement? NO (neither/were)

e) Neither one of our school’s students who was nominated for the national spelling bee was
Subject/verb agreement? YES (neither/were)
Additional errors? This version of the sentence is wordy: ‘neither one’, ‘who was’.

(B) shows the correct subject-verb agreement and is the most concise choice.

5. Everybody at the party love the chocolate cake Shelley made.

a) Everybody at the party love the chocolate cake Shelley made.
b) Everybody at the party is loving the chocolate cake Shelley made.
c) Everybody at the party loves the chocolate cake Shelley made.
d) Everybody love the chocolate cake Shelley made at the party.
e) Everybody loves the chocolate cake Shelley made at the party.

Everybody at the party love the chocolate cake Shelley made.

Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement: plural /singular
‘Everybody’ is a singular subject and thus takes a singular verb
‘Love’ is the plural form

a) Everybody at the party love the chocolate cake Shelley made.
Subject/verb agreement? NO (everybody/love)

b) Everybody at the party is loving the chocolate cake Shelley made.
Subject/verb agreement? YES (everybody/is loving)
Additional errors? ‘is loving’ is awkward

c) Everybody at the party loves the chocolate cake Shelley made.
Subject/verb agreement? YES (everybody/loves)
Additional errors? None

d) Everybody love the chocolate cake Shelley made at the party.
Subject/verb agreement? NO (everybody/love)

e) Everybody loves the chocolate cake Shelley made at the party.
Subject/verb agreement? YES (everybody/loves)
Additional errors? Unclear/ Change in meaning!
‘the cake Shelley made at the party’ sounds like Shelley made the cake while she was at the party.

(C) correctly agrees subject and verb and is the most concise and clear choice.

6. The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she was mostly unheard of prior to the election.

a) The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she was
b) The public receive the new mayor well, though she was
c) The public is receiving the new mayor well, though she was
d) The public is receiving the new mayor well, though she is
e) The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she is

The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she was mostly unheard of prior to the election.

Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement: collective nouns
‘Public,’ although made up of members functions as a singular group and thus takes a singular verb. ‘Are’ is plural.

a) The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she was
Subject/verb agreement? NO (public/are)

b) The public receive the new mayor well, though she was
Subject/verb agreement? NO (public/receive – receive is the plural form of the verb.)

c) The public is receiving the new mayor well, though she was
Subject/verb agreement? YES (public/is)
Additional errors? None

d) The public is receiving the new mayor well, though she is
Subject/verb agreement? YES (public/is)
Additional errors? ‘she is unheard of’ – the mayor was unheard of, but now is known to the public.

e) The public are receiving the new mayor well, though she is
Subject/verb agreement? NO (public/are)
Additional errors? ‘she is unheard of’ – the mayor was unheard of, but now is known to the public.

(C) correctly agrees subject and verb without creating additional errors.

7. We don’t yet know whom, but eventually either my brother or myself are going to take over the family business.

a) either my brother or myself are going to take over the family business.
b) either my brother nor myself are going to take over the family business.
c) either my brother or myself will be going to take over the family business.
d) either my brother or myself taking over the family business.
e) either my brother or myself is going to take over the family business.

We don’t yet know whom, but eventually either my brother or myself are going to take over the family business.

Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement: or/ nor
If two subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to it. In this case, the verb ‘are going’ is plural, and the subject ‘myself’ is singular.

a) either my brother or myself are going to take over the family business.
Subject / verb agreement? NO (myself/ are)

b) either my brother nor myself are going to take over the family business.
Subject / verb agreement? NO– uses either…nor (this construction does not exist!) It is always either…or / neither…nor

c) either my brother or myself will be going to take over the family business.
Subject / verb agreement? YES (myself will be)
Additional errors? ‘will be going’ is extremely awkward.

d) either my brother or myself taking over the family business.
Subject / verb agreement? NO - missing verb - myself/ (is) taking

e) either my brother or myself is going to take over the family business.
Subject / verb agreement? YES (myself / is)
Additional errors? none

(E) correctly agrees subject with verb and remains a clear and well-written sentence.

8. Next to me on the bench sits two older women.

a) on the bench sits two older women.
b) on the bench sit two older women.
c) two older women sitting on the bench.
d) sit on the bench two older women.
e) two older women sits on the bench.

Next to me on the bench sits two older women.

Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement: subject / verb / object
In this sentence the verb: ‘sits’ precedes the subject: ‘two older women’
‘the bench’ is the object of the sentence.


a) on the bench sits two older women.
Subject / verb agreement? NO – women (plural) / sits (singular)

b) on the bench sit two older women.
Subject / verb agreement? YES – women (plural) / sit (plural)
Additional errors? None

c) two older women sitting on the bench.
Subject / verb agreement? NO – missing verb - women / (are) sitting

d) sit on the bench two older women.
Subject / verb agreement? YES – women (plural) / sit (plural)
Additional errors? Awkward construction: Next to me sit on the bench two older women.’

e) two older women sits on the bench
Subject / verb agreement? NO– women (plural) / sits (singular)

(B) correctly agrees subject and verb and is well constructed.

H. Quantity Words

2. MODIFIERS