Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
Every Sunday, not only my father but also my two uncles ______ the plants in our terrace garden.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → water
Subject-verb agreement with “not only ... but also”:
- With “not only ... but also”, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it.
- The nearer subject is “my two uncles”, which is plural. “Every Sunday” shows a habit in the present. So the verb is water.
- Complete sentence: Every Sunday, not only my father but also my two uncles water the plants in our terrace garden.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: waters — Incorrect. “Waters” is singular, but the nearer subject “my two uncles” is plural. Example: Our gardener waters the lawn at six.
Option 2: watered — Incorrect. “Watered” shows the past. The sentence is about a habit now (“every Sunday”). Example: I watered the tulsi plant yesterday.
Option 4: has watered — Incorrect. “Has watered” is singular, but the nearer subject is plural. Example: Mother has watered the plants already.