Are the verb choices correct in these four examples? Thank you. Either Sam or the managers ARE going to attend. Either the managers or Sam IS going to attend. Neither Sam nor the managers ARE going to attend. Neither the managers nor Sam IS going to attend.
Why did you start two threads? Correct: Neither Sam nor the managers IS going to attend. 'Neither' is the subject. But it's one of those sentences if you said, Neither Sam nor the managers ARE going to attend, I believe it is also correct. I'll have to look up the either/or neither/nor rules to be sure. All the sentences are awkward. This would be right because the subject of the verb is 'either': Either the managers or Sam IS going to attend. Except it it would be better to say: Either one, Sam or the managers, is going to attend. In your sentence 'one' is implied and 'one' is in agreement with 'is'. Otherwise you'd need both verbs: Either Sam is, or the managers are going to attend.
The problem with this is that saying one and equating it to a plural number of managers. I prefer this one out of them all...except I'd have another comma after managers.
Yes, those are all correct the way you have them. When you have both a singular and plural noun with "or" or "nor," the verb must agree with the noun closest to the verb.
No, 'one' applies to one group of managers. The managers in the sentence are treated as a single thing, a group, even though multiple things are in the group.
Instead of multiple is/are going, why not keep it simple and reduce the word count? Substitute in each case is going/are going with will.
