The correct option for the question regarding the verb form that matches the subjects "Ade" and "Jide" is
A. Ade as well as Jide come to the meeting on time.
Detailed Explanation
- Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement:
- In English grammar, subject-verb agreement is crucial. This means that the verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with the subject of the sentence.
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When subjects are connected by "as well as," the verb should agree with the first subject only. In this case, "Ade" is the first subject, which is singular.
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Analyzing the Options:
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Option A: "Ade as well as Jide come to the meeting on time."
- Here, "Ade" is the first subject (singular), and "Jide" is an additional subject introduced by "as well as." The verb "come" is plural, which is correct because it agrees with the plural implication of "Ade and Jide" when considering the phrase "as well as."
- Therefore, this option is correct.
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Option B: "Ade as well as Jide comes to the meeting on time."
- In this case, the verb "comes" is singular, which would be correct if "Ade" were the only subject. However, since "as well as Jide" is included, the verb should be plural to reflect the combined subjects. Thus, this option is incorrect.
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Option C: "Both Ade and Jide comes to the meeting on time."
- The phrase "both...and" indicates that the subjects are plural, so the verb should also be plural. The correct form should be "come" instead of "comes." Therefore, this option is incorrect.
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Option D: "Either Ade or Jide come to the meeting on time."
- The phrase "either...or" suggests that the verb should agree with the nearest subject. If "Ade" is mentioned first, the verb should be singular ("comes"). If "Jide" is mentioned first, it would be plural ("come"). Since the sentence does not specify which subject is closer, this option is also incorrect.
Summary of Key Points
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must match the subject in number.
- "As well as" Construction: The verb agrees with the first subject only.
- "Both...and" Construction: Requires a plural verb.
- "Either...or" Construction: The verb agrees with the nearest subject.
Revision Summary
- The correct answer is A: "Ade as well as Jide come to the meeting on time."
- Use plural verbs with "as well as" when the first subject is singular but the context implies multiple subjects.
- Remember that "both...and" requires a plural verb, while "either...or" requires the verb to agree with the nearest subject.
- Always check the structure of the sentence to determine the correct verb form.