Neither the employees nor the manager _______ satisfied with the new policy.
6
readingWhich choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
were
B
was
C
have been
D
are
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. This question tests subject-verb agreement with "neither...nor."
- Context clues: "Neither...nor" joins two subjects; the verb agrees with the nearer one.
- Meaning: "Manager" (singular) is closer to the verb.
- Verify: "Neither... nor the manager was satisfied" follows the proximity rule.
💡 Strategy: With "neither...nor" or "either...or," the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
Choice A is incorrect because "were" is plural, but "manager" is singular. Choice C is incorrect because "have been" is plural. Choice D is incorrect because "are" is plural.