English MCQs – Page 15 (Q141-150)

The correct answer is 'is' because 'bread and butter', when referring to a single combined dish or concept, a typical breakfast item, is treated as one singular idea and takes a singular verb, despite being joined by 'and'. This differs from ordinary compound subjects joined by 'and', which usually take a plural verb, as in 'Bread and butter are on the table' when referring to them as two separate items. Context determines whether such phrases are treated as a unified concept or as distinct objects, a subtle distinction tested in advanced agreement questions.

The correct answer is 'wins' because 'slow and steady' functions here as a single, unified idea, the subject of the famous proverb 'Slow and steady wins the race', and is therefore treated as a singular subject taking a singular verb. Proverbs and fixed idiomatic expressions often override the usual rule that subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb, since the paired words describe one combined quality or approach rather than two separate subjects. Memorizing common proverbs is useful both for grammar and for idiom-based exam questions.

The correct answer is 'is' because the true subject of the sentence is 'one', not 'friends', and 'one of my friends' is a singular subject despite the plural noun following 'of'. This 'one of the plus plural noun' construction always takes a singular verb, as the sentence is really saying that a single person, one among several friends, holds this profession. This pattern is easily confused with 'a number of' or 'many of', which do take plural verbs, making careful identification of the true subject essential.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'none' in this construction is treated as singular, meaning 'not one', which agrees with the singular verb 'is'. While 'none' can sometimes take a plural verb informally when it means 'not any' of a countable group, formal and exam English generally favors treating 'none of plus plural noun' as singular when emphasizing the idea of zero individual instances. This is a debated but frequently tested point, so exam answer keys typically default to the singular form for consistency.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'committee' is a collective noun that, when functioning as a single decision-making body under discussion, takes a singular verb. Although divided opinions might tempt some to use a plural verb to emphasize the individual members' disagreement, standard usage in this context treats the committee as one singular entity holding a state of internal division. Other collective nouns like 'jury', 'board', and 'panel' follow this same default singular pattern in most formal English usage.

The correct answer is 'is' because 'either' is a singular indefinite pronoun, and 'either of the answers' always takes a singular verb regardless of the plural noun that follows 'of'. This mirrors the rule for 'each' and 'neither', both of which are grammatically singular even when referring to multiple items. This consistent singular treatment of 'each', 'either', and 'neither' when used with 'of plus plural noun' is one of the most frequently repeated agreement rules across competitive English exams.

The correct answer is 'are' because 'police' is one of a small group of collective nouns that are always treated as plural in English, taking a plural verb even without an explicit plural ending. Unlike 'team' or 'committee', which can be singular or plural depending on context, 'police' functions grammatically like 'people' and never takes a singular verb. Other similarly always-plural nouns include 'cattle' and 'people' itself, making this a notable exception worth memorizing for exam purposes.

The correct answer is 'are' because 'glasses', referring to eyewear, is a pluralia tantum noun that exists only in plural form and always takes a plural verb, similar to 'scissors', 'trousers', and 'pliers'. Note the important distinction from 'glass' (singular, meaning a drinking vessel or the material) or 'a pair of glasses', which would take a singular verb instead. Recognizing which nouns belong to this special always-plural category is essential for avoiding common subject-verb agreement errors in exams.

The correct answer is 'is' because when 'every' precedes a compound structure like 'every boy and girl', the sentence is treated as referring to each individual separately, taking a singular verb despite the presence of 'and'. This differs from ordinary compound subjects joined by 'and', which normally take a plural verb, as in 'The boy and the girl are present.' The word 'every' before the compound subject is what forces the singular agreement here, overriding the usual 'and' rule.

The correct answer is 'are' because in 'there is/are' constructions, the verb agrees not with 'there', which is merely an introductory or dummy subject, but with the noun that logically follows it, here the plural 'students'. This is a frequently tested exception, since students often mistakenly focus on 'there' itself rather than the real grammatical subject following the verb. The same rule applies to 'here is/are' constructions, where agreement likewise depends on the noun that comes after.