From the words or group of words lettered A to D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences.
Either he or you ______ to clean up the mess.
has
have
were
was
Explanation
No explanation available
Video Explanation
No video available
Post your Contribution
Discussions (4)
for further details on the answer "The general rule is that when two elements of the subject of a sentence are joined by “or,” the verb must agree with the part of the subject that’s closer in the sentence to the verb. “Either this one or those two are defective” would be correct. “Either those two or this one is defective” would also be correct"
Wow English, the feeling you get when you realise you got the answer wrong when you actually thought it was right. Please add this emphasis to the answer "The general rule is that when two elements of the subject of a sentence are joined by “or,” the verb must agree with the part of the subject that’s closer in the sentence to the verb. “Either this one or those two are defective” would be correct. “Either those two or this one is defective” would also be correct" (copied frm Hal Mickelson)
Following the general rule about two subjects joined by “or,” it would be grammatically correct to say, “Either he or you are wrong” (the verb “are” has to agree with the pronoun “you”). However, most people wouldn't say “he or you”; instead, they’d say “you or he”; and if we follow the general rule about what happens when we see “or,” it would be technically correct to say, “Either you or he is wrong.” The problem is that the sentence “Either you or he is wrong” may sound awkward to many people whether it’s correct or not. A good grammar text will tell you that if following the rules gives you a sentence that sounds awkward, you should restructure the sentence. I’d recommend: “Either you or he must be mistaken.” “Either your position or his is wrong.”
