JAMB 2018 English Language · Question 57

Knowledge of figures of speech as well as of idiom and lexical items … in this section

Question

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap. Knowledge of figures of speech as well as of idiom and lexical items ____________ in this section

A.is tested
B.have been tested
C.are tested
D.were tested

Answer: A. is tested

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: This tests subject-verb agreement. We must find the true subject of the sentence and match the verb to it.

Explain the concept: When a subject is followed by a phrase introduced by "as well as," that phrase is parenthetical and does not change the number of the verb. The verb agrees with the first subject only. (Compare: "The teacher, as well as the students, is present.")

Solution:

Identify the subject: "Knowledge of figures of speech" is the main subject. The word "knowledge" is singular (and uncountable).
The phrase "as well as of idiom and lexical items" is an add-on. It does not make the subject plural.
So the verb must be singular.
The sentence also describes a general, habitual fact about what the section does, so the simple present tense fits: "is tested."

Checking the options:

A. is tested: singular, present tense. Correct.
B. have been tested: plural, so it does not agree.
C. are tested: plural, so it does not agree.
D. were tested: plural and past tense, so it does not agree.

Full sentence: "Knowledge of figures of speech as well as of idiom and lexical items is tested in this section."

Exam tip: When you see "as well as," "together with," "along with," or "in addition to," cross out that whole phrase and check the verb against the first subject. Only "and" makes a subject plural.

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