Read the following sentence.

Every day, the captain or several sailors hoist the ship's sails.

Which of the following choices explains the subject-verb agreement in the above sentence?
A.The subject of this sentence is a singular noun, captain, so the verb, hoist, is also singular.B.
The subject of this sentence is a plural noun, sailors, so the verb, hoist, is also plural.

Question

Read the following sentence.
 
Every day, the captain or several sailors hoist the ship's sails. 
 
Which of the following choices explains the subject-verb agreement in the above sentence?
A.The subject of this sentence is a singular noun, captain, so the verb, hoist, is also singular.B.
The subject of this sentence is a plural noun, sailors, so the verb, hoist, is also plural.

anonymous · Answer

C.
The subject of this sentence is a compound subject, captain or sailors, and so the verb, hoist, must agree with the subject, sailors, that is closest to it.  Since sailors is plural so is the verb, hoist.
D.
The subject of this sentence is a collective noun, captain, so the verb, hoist, must be singular.

anonymous · Answer

It is C, since there is more then one noun, but the latter is plural, and so is the verb