Fill in the blank with the correct word from the options given below:
Nobody among the sixty passengers ______ hurt when two coaches of the train came off the track near Itarsi yesterday.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → was
Subject-verb agreement with “nobody”:
- “Nobody” means not one person. It always takes a singular verb.
- The subject is “nobody”, not “passengers”. “Yesterday” shows the past, so the verb is was.
- Complete sentence: Nobody among the sixty passengers was hurt when two coaches of the train came off the track near Itarsi yesterday.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: were — Incorrect. “Were” is plural, but “nobody” is singular. Example: The passengers were tired after the long journey.
Option 3: are — Incorrect. “Are” is plural, but “nobody” is singular. Example: The new coaches are very clean.
Option 4: have been — Incorrect. “Have been” is plural, but “nobody” is singular. Example: The tracks have been repaired.