The farmer, with his sons, … millet.

Analyze the question This tests subject-verb agreement. The key is to find the true subject of the sentence and ignore extra phrases that come between the subject and the verb.

Explain the concept When a subject is followed by a phrase beginning with with, together with, as well as, along with, or in addition to, that phrase does not change the number of the subject. The verb agrees only with the main subject.

Show the solution

• Sentence: The farmer, with his sons, __ millet.
• The main subject is "The farmer", which is singular.
• "with his sons" is a parenthetical phrase (set off by commas). It does not make the subject plural.
• So the verb must be singular and, here, in the simple present.

Check the options:

• A. grows: singular present, agrees with "the farmer". ✔
• B. grow: plural form, so it does not agree with a singular subject. ✘
• C. were growing: plural past form, so it does not agree. ✘
• D. have been growing: plural form, so it does not agree. ✘

Answer: The correct option is A. grows.

Tip: When you see "with," "as well as," or "together with" between commas, cross out that phrase and read the sentence again: The farmer __ millet. The right verb becomes obvious. Compare this with "and", which does make the subject plural: The farmer and his sons grow millet.