Correct Answer:
C. are
Explanation:
The correct answer is are because of the grammatical 'rule of proximity' applied to compound subjects joined by 'either... or'.
- Step 1 (Rule of Proximity): When a singular subject ('Ahmed') and a plural subject ('his friends') are linked by 'either... or' or 'neither... nor', the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.
- Step 2 (Application): The plural noun 'friends' sits directly next to the blank space. Therefore, the verb must switch to the plural present-tense form 'are'.
- Incorrect Options:
- is is incorrect because it is singular and fails to agree with the nearest subject, 'friends'.
- was is incorrect because it is a singular past-tense verb, creating a subject-verb conflict.
- has is incorrect because it is singular and functions as a possessive or auxiliary verb rather than the necessary plural linking verb.