From the words lettered A to D below each of the following sentences, choose the word or group of words as it is used in the sentence The coach, as well as ...

Answer Details

The correct option is "were". The subject of the sentence is "The coach, as well as the players," which is plural because it refers to more than one person. Therefore, the verb needs to be in the plural form to agree with the subject. "Was" and "is" are singular forms of the verb, which would not agree with the plural subject, while "are" is also incorrect because it suggests that the coach and players are currently receiving gifts, when the sentence is referring to a past event. Therefore, "were" is the correct form of the verb to use, as it is the past tense plural form of "to be".