Correct Answer:
C. is
Explanation:
The correct answer is is because indefinite pronouns that end in '-body' (such as nobody, somebody, everybody) are grammatically singular and require singular verbs.
- Step 1 (Definition): Indefinite pronouns like 'nobody' refer to an unspecified person. Even though they may conceptually hint at a group, they are treated as a single unit in formal grammar.
- Step 2 (Application): To match the singular indefinite subject 'nobody' in the present tense, the singular linking verb 'is' must be used.
- Incorrect Options:
- are is incorrect because it is a plural verb form, which creates a subject-verb agreement error.
- were is incorrect because it functions as a plural past-tense verb, which is grammatically incompatible with a singular subject.
- have is incorrect because it is a plural verb and fails to serve as the necessary linking verb before the adjective 'willing'.