Verbs Quiz

In each of the following sentences supply a verb in agreement with the subject.

1. The cost of all articles ————– risen.

a) has
b) have

2. The jury —————- divided in their opinion.

a) is
b) are

3. That night everyone of us —————– down with fever.

a) was
b) were

4. One or the other of those guys —————- stolen my watch.

a) has
b) have

5. No news ————– bad news.

a) is
b) are

6. The accountant and cashier ————— gone on leave.

a) has
b) have

7. The celebrated conjurer and juggler —————— too unwell to perform.

a) was
b) were

8. The Three Musketeers ————– written by Dumas.

a) is
b) are

9. Each of the suspected men ————— arrested.

a) was
b) were

10. Neither his father nor his mother ————— alive today.

a) is
b) are

11. There —————- many objections to the plan.

a) is
b) are

12. The cow as well as the horse ————- on grass.

a) feed
b) feeds

Answers

1. has
2. are
3. was
4. has
5. is
6. has
7. was
8. is
9. was
10. is
11. are
12. feeds

Notes

Each, every, neither and either are followed by singular nouns and singular verbs.

Each boy was given a present.
Every student has passed the test.
Neither John nor Peter was present.

Collective nouns like jury, committee, army etc., are followed by singular nouns when the reference is to the whole group. They are followed by plural nouns when the reference is to individual members of the group.

Compare:
The jury has announced its decision. (Here the reference is to the whole group.)
The jury are divided in their opinion. (Here the reference is to the individual members of the group.)