Question

Correct the underlined part of the sentence, if needed.
Among the many reasons for his defeat in the election was his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions, and his unwarranted attack on his chief opponent

• A. was his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions
• B. were his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions
• C. were his arrogant assumptions that his constituents were incapable of understanding economical conditions
• D. were his arrogant assumption that his constituents would be incapable of understanding economics
• E. was the arrogant assumption that his constituents was incapable of understanding economic conditions

Answer 1

The correct option is B were his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions

Here, option B is the correct answer. The two reasons for his defeat were his "arrogant assumption" and his "unwarranted attack". Since these two items constitute a compound subject, the verb should be the plural "were" and not "was." Only option rectifies this error without adding new ones to the sentence.