Fill in the blank in the given sentence with the most appropriate option:
Following the AC malfunction, the Professor, along with his students, ______ shifted to Block VI.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → was
Subject joined by "along with":
- Phrases such as along with, together with, as well as, accompanied by add information but do not make the subject plural.
- The verb agrees with the first noun, the real subject.
- This sentence:
- subject: the Professor (singular);
- "along with his students" stands between commas as added information;
- the shift happened after the AC broke down, a past event, so the singular past was (shifted) is needed.
- Complete sentence: Following the AC malfunction, the Professor, along with his students, was shifted to Block VI.
Example: The captain, along with his players, was welcomed at the airport.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: were — Incorrect. "Were" is plural; it wrongly agrees with "students", which is part of the added phrase.
Option 3: have been — Incorrect. "Have" is plural; a singular subject would need "has been".
Option 4: are — Incorrect. "Are" is plural and present, while the subject is singular and the event is past.
Contrast: "The Professor, along with his students, was" (singular subject) but not "were", which wrongly agrees with "students" in the added phrase.