Question 62·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
Neither the research assistants nor the principal investigator ___ planning to attend the conference, which has led the project coordinator to cancel the trip altogether.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For subject-verb agreement questions, first bracket the subject and identify whether it is singular or plural. In "neither...nor" (and "either...or") constructions, remember that the verb agrees with the part of the subject closest to the verb. Then quickly check tense consistency with nearby verbs (like "has led," "will go," etc.) to choose the form that matches both number and time. When in doubt, say the subject and verb together in your head (or quietly) with a simple pronoun substitute (he/she/it vs. they) to hear which one sounds grammatically correct.
Hints
Identify the subject closest to the blank
Look at the words right before the blank. Which noun is closest to the verb position, and is it singular or plural?
Use the "neither...nor" agreement rule
In sentences with "neither...nor," the verb usually agrees with the subject that comes right before it. Decide which part of the subject the verb should match.
Match the time frame
Notice the phrase "has led the project coordinator" later in the sentence. Does that suggest the situation is being described as current/ongoing or only in the past? Choose a verb form that fits that time frame.
Check for singular vs. plural verbs
Say each option aloud after "the principal investigator" and listen for what sounds correct: singular verbs go with "he/she/it," while plural verbs go with "they."
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the main subject of the verb
Find who is doing the action. The structure is "Neither the research assistants nor the principal investigator ___ planning to attend".
This is a compound subject joined by "neither...nor", with two parts:
- "the research assistants" (plural)
- "the principal investigator" (singular)
The verb we’re choosing must agree with the correct part of this compound subject.
Recall the rule for "neither...nor"
With "neither...nor" subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
In this sentence, the verb comes after "the principal investigator", so the verb must agree with "principal investigator", which is singular.
That means we need a singular verb form, not a plural one.
Check number (singular vs. plural) and tense
Now look at each answer choice and think about two things:
- Number: Does it match a singular subject ("principal investigator")?
- Tense: Does it fit the time frame of the sentence, which includes "has led" (present perfect), suggesting a current, ongoing situation about conference plans?
Singular present verbs (for "he/she/it") are the best fit here, and they usually do not end with an auxiliary like "have" when the subject is singular.
Select the verb that fits both the rule and the context
Eliminate any choices that are plural or that do not match the tense and aspect implied by the rest of the sentence.
- "are" is plural, so it does not agree with the singular "principal investigator".
- "have been" is also plural and would require a plural subject or "has been" for singular.
- "was" is past tense and does not match smoothly with "has led," which describes a present-result situation.
The only choice that is singular and fits the present-time context is D) is, so the completed sentence is:
"Neither the research assistants nor the principal investigator is planning to attend the conference, which has led the project coordinator to cancel the trip altogether."