<p>Neither Susan nor Jacob (likes) (to relax) and (watch) the grass (grows)</p>
<p>Why is the answer (grows)?</p>
<p>It sounds odd. The correct form would be … watch the plant grow. I’m sure you won’t say “He likes to watch the plant grows.” </p>
<p>Sorry for my shallow explanation</p>
<p>Oops… I meant to say grass lol</p>
<p>yeaa…i know ! it sounds even odd to me and i think it should be " grow " but i need a rule or explantion for this !! i shouldn’t go by ear</p>
<p>grows is 3rd person tense for grow. Here its 2nd person tense which remains grow.
Therefore we will use grow</p>
<p>umm…okay
anyone else ???</p>
<p>I go by ear. If you’re a native speaker/frequent English user, ‘grows’ should sound horrible.</p>
<p>Confused…</p>
<p>Should ‘likes’ not be singular, in addition to ‘grow’. </p>
<p>1.‘Neither Susan nor Jacob likes to relax and watch the grass grow.’</p>
<ol>
<li>‘Neither Susan nor Jacob like to relax and watch the grass grow.’ </li>
</ol>
<p>The first option seems wrong, grammatically speaking. But you are only allowed to change one bracket on the SAT. </p>
<p>So what is the answer?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The reason “grows” is incorrect is because THE BARE INFINITIVE (a to-do verb without the ‘to’) is used after certain verbs which are followed by an object, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER the object IS SINGULAR OR PLURAL.</p>
<p>EXAMPLES: let, make, see, hear, feel, watch</p>
<p>I WATCHED my boy(s) GROW.
John HEARD the cop(s) YELL.
I SAW the tulip(s) sprout.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>a) “likes” is okay because in an “either or” or “neither nor” construction when the two subjects are BOTH SINGULAR, we always use a SINGULAR verb tense.</p>
<p>For instance:</p>
<p>Neither John nor Lisa KNOWS the results.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, when the second subject is plural or uses a first/second-person pronoun, the verb modifies the subject immediately before.</p>
<p>For instance,</p>
<p>Neither John nor the boys KNOW the results.</p>
<p>Neither John nor I AM going to be done soon. (NOT: John nor I is going to be be done soon).</p>
<p>^ in other words, the subject after ‘nor’ determines the verb.</p>
<p>Thank you! It makes sense now :)</p>
<p>You’re very welcome :)</p>