त्वरित लिंक्स
English Language
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Neither the head of the department nor the senior research fellows ___ willing to compromise on the revised publication deadlines until the external funding is fully approved.
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Detailed Explanation
The correct option is b. When two subjects are connected by correlative conjunctions such as 'either...or' or 'neither...nor', the rule of proximity (or attraction) dictates that the verb must agree in person and number with the subject closest to it. In this sentence, the noun phrase closest to the verb is the plural noun 'the senior research fellows'. Therefore, the plural verb 'were' is syntactically required. For a comprehensive overview of how proximity and agreement operate in English grammar, consult the Wikipedia Reference on grammatical agreement.
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