SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
For centuries, astronomers in Europe and the Middle East relied on a model of the universe with Earth at its center. Neither the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy nor the many scholars who built on his work over the following thousand years ______ to accept that Earth might move around the Sun.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
was willing
has been willing
were willing
is willing
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
With "neither ... nor," the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. Here that subject is "the many scholars," which is plural, so the plural "were" is correct. The past tense also fits, since the text describes beliefs held centuries ago.
Choice A agrees with "Ptolemy," but in a "neither ... nor" construction the verb agrees with the nearer subject, "scholars."
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