Lexis and structure: Choose the option that best completes the gap. The students, along with their teacher, ___ for an excursion next week.

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Lexis and structure: Choose the option that best completes the gap.

The students, along with their teacher, ___ for an excursion next week.

  1. is leaving
  2. are leaving ✓
  3. has left
  4. have left

Explanation

The subject is “students” (plural), so the verb must be plural: “are leaving.” The phrase “along with their teacher” is additional information set off by commas – it does not change the subject.

This is different from “students AND their teacher” which would also be plural but for a different reason (compound subject).

Rule: Phrases like “along with,” “together with,” “as well as,” and “including” do not make a singular subject plural. The main noun determines the verb form.

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