Either he or you … to clean up the mess.

Analyze the question This tests subject-verb agreement with the correlative conjunction "either...or".

Explain the concept With "either...or" (and "neither...nor"), the verb agrees with the subject closest to it, the one after "or". This is called the proximity rule.

Show the solution

• Subjects: "he" and "you"
• The subject nearest the verb is "you"
• "You" always takes "have" in the present tense (you have), and "were" in the past tense (you were).

Now check each option:

• A. has: goes with he/she/it, not "you". Wrong.
• B. have: agrees with "you", and "to clean up" fits the sense "have to" (obligation). Correct.
• C. were: "you were" agrees, but "were to clean up the mess" changes the meaning and sounds awkward here. The natural phrase is "have to clean up". Also, the sentence is in the present, so "have" fits best.
• D. was: does not agree with "you". Wrong.

Complete sentence: "Either he or you have to clean up the mess."

Answer: B. have

Tip: For "either...or" and "neither...nor", look at the subject right before the verb and ignore the first one. Example: "Neither the teachers nor the principal is present" (the verb agrees with "principal").