Topic: English Grammar (Subject-Verb Agreement)
Step 1 : Understanding the Question:
The focus of this question is Subject-Verb Agreement involving distributive pronouns. The goal is to determine whether the subject "Neither" requires a singular or plural verb form in formal English.
Step 2 : Key Formulas and approach:
The "Rule of Distributive Pronouns" states that words like "each," "either," and "neither" refer to individuals within a group one at a time. Therefore, they are grammatically singular. The formula is: [Singular Pronoun] + [Prepositional Phrase] + [Singular Verb].
Step 3 : Detailed Explanation:
Subject Identification: In the phrase "Neither of the boys," the word "boys" is the object of the preposition "of." The actual subject is "Neither." Beginners often mistakenly use the plural verb because of the word "boys."
Singular vs Plural Verb: Since "Neither" means "not one and not the other," it functions as a singular entity. In the past tense, the singular verb is "was" and the plural is "were."
Analysis of Options: Options (A), (C), and (D) all use plural verbs—"were," "are," and "have been," respectively. These are grammatically incorrect in formal writing when paired with "neither."
Correct Application: Option (B) uses "was," which correctly matches the singular nature of the subject "Neither."
Step 4 : Final Answer:
The grammatically accurate sentence is (B) Neither of the boys was ready for the exam.