Question 111·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
Neither the sensational headlines splashed across the tabloids nor the sober analyses published in academic journals _____ the central fact that the research was inconclusive.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For subject-verb agreement questions, first strip the sentence down to its core by crossing out prepositional phrases and descriptive clauses. Identify the true subject—especially with paired structures like "neither…nor" or "either…or," where the verb usually agrees with the closer subject. Decide if the subject is singular or plural, then quickly eliminate any options with mismatched verb number or an unnecessary tense shift (like adding "has" or "have" when the sentence states a general fact). This process lets you answer accurately in a few seconds.
Hints
Locate the real subject
Ignore the descriptive phrases (like "splashed across the tabloids" and "published in academic journals") and focus on the main nouns connected to the blank.
Focus on "neither…nor"
When you see "neither…nor," pay attention to the noun that comes right before the blank. Is it singular or plural?
Check verb number and tense
Once you know whether the subject is singular or plural, eliminate any verb forms that don’t match that number. Then ask: is the sentence describing a one-time past action, or a general, ongoing situation?
Step-by-step Explanation
Strip the sentence to its core structure
Ignore the descriptive phrases to see the basic skeleton of the sentence.
Core structure:
"Neither the sensational headlines nor the sober analyses _____ the central fact..."
Everything else ("splashed across the tabloids," "published in academic journals") is extra detail that does not affect subject-verb agreement.
Identify the subject(s) around "neither…nor"
The correlative pair "neither…nor" links two subjects:
- "the sensational headlines" (plural)
- "the sober analyses" (plural)
In English, with "neither…nor," the verb usually agrees with the subject that comes closest to the verb. Here, the closest subject to the blank is "the sober analyses," which is plural.
Decide on the correct verb number and tense
Because "analyses" is plural, the verb must also be plural.
Now consider tense and meaning:
- The sentence is making a general statement about how headlines and analyses relate to a fact about the research.
- A general, ongoing truth usually takes the simple present (no "has" or "have" before the verb).
So we want a present-tense plural verb form.
Match the options to the needed verb form
We need a present-tense plural verb that agrees with "analyses":
- "conceals" – singular present (does not match plural "analyses")
- "has concealed" – present perfect singular (wrong number and tense)
- "have concealed" – present perfect plural (wrong tense for a general statement)
- "conceal" – base form used with plural subjects in the simple present (correct)
Therefore, the choice that correctly completes the sentence is "conceal."