For subject-verb agreement questions, locate the head noun of the subject rather than choosing a verb based on the nearest noun. Temporarily remove interrupting material, including phrases between dashes and phrases beginning with “along with,” and then match the verb to the head noun.
Hints
- Hint 1
Find the head noun
Look for the main noun in the subject before the first dash.
- Hint 2
Remove the interruption
Temporarily omit the words between the dashes, and then check which verb form agrees with the remaining subject.
Step-by-step
- Step 1
Identify the subject
The complete subject is “The placement of these strokes.” Its head noun is the singular noun “placement.”
- Step 2
Set aside the interrupting phrase
The phrase between the dashes begins with “along with.” This phrase adds information about the gaps but does not create a compound subject.
- Step 3
Choose the agreeing verb
A singular subject requires a singular present-tense verb. Therefore, “determines” correctly agrees with “placement.”