Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Neither John nor his brothers _____ at the meeting.

**The reasoning** This tests **subject-verb agreement with "neither...nor"**. The golden rule: when you have "neither...nor" (or "either...or"), the verb agrees with the subject **closest to it**. Look at the structure: "Neither John nor his brothers" - "John" = singular - "his brothers" = plural (and it's nearest to the verb) Since "brothers" (plural) is closest, you need the plural verb **"were"**. Think of it this way: if you flipped it to "Neither his brothers nor John...", you'd say "was" because "John" would be closest. The nearest subject always wins! **Why the wrong options tempt you** - **(A) was** — You focused on "John" (singular) and forgot the "nearest subject" rule - **(B) is** — Wrong tense (present instead of past) *and* treats it as singular - **(D) has been** — Wrong tense entirely; the sentence needs simple past, not present perfect **Quick takeaway** With "neither...nor" or "either...or," always match your verb to whichever subject sits **closest** to it—that subject is the boss!