Not only the students but also the professor ___ stunned by the test results.

Rationale

Not only the students but also the professor was stunned by the test results.

In this sentence, the subject "the professor" is singular, and the verb must agree accordingly. The phrase "not only... but also" emphasizes that the second subject (the professor) takes precedence in determining the verb form, which should be singular.

A (was) CORRECT

The verb "was" correctly agrees with the singular subject "the professor." In this construction, the singular noun after "but also" dictates that the verb must also be singular, thus making "was" the appropriate choice to maintain subject-verb agreement.

B (were) YOUR ANSWER

The verb "were" is plural and would incorrectly match with "the professor," a singular subject. While it might seem correct if only "the students" were considered, the presence of "the professor" necessitates a singular verb, making "were" an incorrect choice in this context.

C (are) YOUR ANSWER

The verb "are" is also plural, which does not agree with the singular subject "the professor." This choice would imply multiple subjects are present in a present tense scenario, conflicting with the singular nature required by the second subject in the phrase.

D (be) YOUR ANSWER

The verb "be" is an infinitive form and cannot be used in this context. The sentence requires a conjugated verb that agrees with the subject, which "be" does not provide. Thus, this option is grammatically incorrect.

Conclusion

In the sentence, the correct verb form must agree with the singular subject "the professor," resulting in "was" as the appropriate choice. The structure of "not only... but also" emphasizes the second subject, confirming that singular agreement is necessary. This understanding of subject-verb agreement is crucial in achieving grammatical accuracy in complex sentence constructions.

Not only the students but also the professor ___ stunned by the test results.

Not only the students but also the professor was stunned by the test results.

Related Questions

Related Quizzes

How familiar were you with this question?

Report an Issue

Rate this Practice Test