Discussion
In the sentence below, a part is printed in bold. Choose the alternative that best replaces it. If no improvement is needed, choose ‘No correction required’.
Each of the boys were given a certificate at the ceremony.
Answer: A
Correct answer: was given
Each, every, either, neither, everyone, somebody and nobody are all singular, whatever plural noun may follow them. So each of the boys was given. The plural boys is the object of of and cannot be the subject; the subject is each. Deleting the prepositional phrase leaves each was given, which settles it. The rule holds even when each follows the subject in apposition: the boys were each given a certificate is plural, because there the subject is the boys and each is merely an adverbial addition. Position changes the answer. Every behaves identically, and every one of them was present is correct for the same reason.
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