English MCQs – Page 14 (Q131-140)

The correct answer is 'is' because 'everyone' is a singular indefinite pronoun, always taking a singular verb even though it conceptually refers to a group of people. Similar singular indefinite pronouns include 'everybody', 'someone', 'anyone', and 'nobody', all of which follow the same singular agreement rule. This is a frequent point of confusion because these words semantically suggest plurality, but grammatically they function as singular nouns, a distinction tested repeatedly in PPSC and NTS grammar sections.

The correct answer is 'is' because the phrase 'the number of' functions as a singular subject, focusing on the number itself as a single quantity, and therefore takes a singular verb. This directly contrasts with 'a number of', which means 'several' and takes a plural verb, as in 'A number of students are absent.' This 'the number of' versus 'a number of' distinction is one of the most classic and frequently tested subject-verb agreement pairs in competitive English exams.

The correct answer is 'are' because 'a number of' means 'several' or 'many' and functions as a plural quantifier, requiring a plural verb to agree with the plural noun 'students' that follows. This is the direct counterpart to 'the number of', which is treated as singular because it refers to the number itself as a single figure. Recognizing this contrast, 'the number of is' versus 'a number of are', is essential for correctly answering subject-verb agreement questions involving quantity expressions.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'team' is a collective noun that, in standard usage, is treated as a single singular unit when it acts together, taking a singular verb. In British English, collective nouns can sometimes take a plural verb to emphasize individual members acting separately, but in this context describing the team's overall performance, the singular 'is' is correct. Other collective nouns following this same singular-by-default pattern include 'committee', 'family', 'government', and 'class'.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'Mathematics', despite ending in -s and appearing plural in form, is an academic subject name that is always treated as a singular, uncountable noun and takes a singular verb. Other subject names following this same pattern include 'Physics', 'Economics', 'Ethics', and 'Statistics'. This is a frequently tested exception to the usual rule that words ending in -s are plural, since these are actually singular fields of study rather than countable plural items.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'news', despite its -s ending suggesting plurality, is a singular uncountable noun in English and always takes a singular verb. This is a classic exam trap, as many learners instinctively pair the plural-looking 'news' with a plural verb. Other similarly deceptive nouns that look plural but are grammatically singular include 'mathematics', 'physics', and 'the United States' when referring to the single country as a political entity.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'family' is a collective noun that, when referring to the family as a single unified group, takes a singular verb, as in 'My family is very supportive.' If the sentence instead emphasized individual members doing different things, a plural verb like 'are' could be used, as in 'My family are arguing among themselves.' This flexible singular or plural treatment of collective nouns, depending on whether the group acts as one unit or as separate individuals, is a nuanced but testable grammar point.

The correct answer is 'are' because 'scissors' belongs to a special class of nouns called pluralia tantum, which exist only in plural form and always take a plural verb, even though they refer to a single object. Other common examples include 'trousers', 'glasses', 'pliers', and 'binoculars', all naming objects with two similar parts joined together. To refer to a single item, English uses the phrase 'a pair of', as in 'a pair of scissors is on the table', which then takes a singular verb instead.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'Physics', though ending in -s, is the name of an academic discipline and is treated as a singular, uncountable noun, taking a singular verb. This follows the same pattern as 'Mathematics', 'Economics', and 'Ethics', all of which look plural but function grammatically as singular subjects. This is a frequently repeated pattern across exam papers, testing whether students recognize that an -s ending does not automatically signal plurality in every case.

The correct answer is 'is' because expressions of distance, time, money, and other measurements are treated as a single collective unit rather than separate countable items, and therefore take a singular verb, even when the noun itself is plural in form. 'Ten miles' here refers to one overall distance, not ten separate miles being individually considered. This same rule applies to phrases like 'Five years is a long time' and 'Twenty rupees is not enough', a pattern commonly tested alongside quantity and measurement subjects.