Question

Choose the option that maintains subject-verb agreement:
The _______, along with the newsmen, ________ shortly.

• A. politician, is expected
• B. politician, are expected
• C. politicians, is expected
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A politician, is expected

The basic rule of Subject-Verb agreement is that a singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb. The verb must always agree with the subject of a sentence.

Option A is correct. Sometimes, the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. There words and phrases are not part of the subject. In the given sentence, the phrase "along with the newsmen" are not part of the subject of the sentence. There is only one subject in the sentence, namely, "the politician". It thus requires a singular verb, namely, "is expected". There is subject-verb agreement, making options A correct.

Option B is incorrect. The plural verb "are expected" does not match witht he singular subject "politician", Thus, there is no subject-verb agreement.

Option C is incorrect. The singular verb "is expected" does not match with the plural subject "politicians". There is not subject-verb agreement, making the option incorrect.

Option D is incorrect since the answer lies in A.