<p>To the disappointment of the crowd, neither the president nor any of his aides were able to attend the ceremony.</p>
<p>The error is at "were" according to the book I have.</p>
<p>Another book I have, however, states that if the second noun (after nor) is plural, then you should switch the succeeding verb to plural. So it should be were instead of was?</p>
<p>You’re looking at “aides” and seeing a plural, but aides is part of the modifier “of his aides.” Look at “any.” That’s singular. The rule you’re using is correct.</p>
<p>The College Board would not include a grammar question like that on the SAT. I’d recommend spending your time working on higher quality questions. Good luck!</p>
<p>Charlucas nailed it! ^</p>
<p>thanks a lot everyone. this helped a bunch</p>
<p>on another note, why is this plural:</p>
<p>Are there any squirrels in the park?</p>
<p>you just said that any is singular so why is it not:</p>
<p>Is there any squirrels in the park?</p>
<p>Or is it that:</p>
<p>any of=singular</p>
<p>any=plural?</p>
<p>This is a different use of any. When it stands alone as an indeterminate number, use the singular. When it modifies a noun, then the noun determines the number:</p>
<p>Is there any milk?
Are there any squirrels?
If any person knows . . . etc.</p>
<p>It’s the modifying clause that makes the difference: in “any squirrels,” any is modifying squirrels. In “any of the squirrels,” any is functioning as a singular noun. General SAT grammar advice: when you have a prepositional phrase that’s modifying a noun, cross it out so you can check agreement. For example: “Each of the many departments and teachers in the various schools WAS hard at work.” Each is functioning as the subject, and it’s singular. The “of the blablablablabla” is modifying each. The verb has to agree with the subject, which is each. Plain as mud, I hope? :-)</p>