16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardAgreement with 'as well as'

Standard English Conventions practice question

The director, as well as the two producers, ____ attending the premiere.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. isCorrect
  2. B. are
  3. C. were
  4. D. have been

Answer: A. is

'as well as the two producers' is a parenthetical addition, not part of the subject. The subject is 'the director' alone — singular — so the verb is 'is'. (Only 'and' makes a compound subject.)

Why the other answers are wrong

B. are
'are' treats 'the director as well as the two producers' as plural, but 'as well as' doesn't join subjects the way 'and' does.
C. were
'were' is plural and past. The subject is singular, and the sentence is present.
D. have been
'have been' is plural. The subject is 'the director'.

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