Question

Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
"I wish it were possible."
Assertion (A):Despite the fact that the above sentence lacks subject-verb concord, as per the English Grammar,it is a syntactically correct sentence. Reasons (R):It is a syntactically correct sentence because in subjunctive mood (of verb) even singular subject is followed by a plural verb.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
• B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A)
• C. (A) is true but (R) is false
• D. (A) is false but (R) is true

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To solve this question, we need to evaluate the given Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and determine their truthfulness as well as if the reason provided aptly explains the assertion.

1. Understanding Assertion (A):
   • Assertion (A) states that the sentence "I wish it were possible" is syntactically correct despite the apparent lack of subject-verb concord.
   • In English grammar, subject-verb concord generally requires the verb to agree with the subject in number and person.
2. Understanding Reason (R):
   • Reason (R) suggests that the sentence is syntactically correct because, in the subjunctive mood, even a singular subject is followed by a plural verb.
   • The subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, hypothetical situations, or conditions contrary to fact. In such cases, the verb 'were' is used even for singular subjects.
3. Evaluating the Truthfulness of (A) and (R):
   • Assertion (A) is true because in the subjunctive mood, "I wish it were possible" is indeed grammatically correct.
   • Reason (R) is true as it accurately explains the subjunctive mood's rule where 'were' is used regardless of the subject number or person, making the sentence correct.
4. Analyzing the Correct Explanation:
   • Both (A) and (R) are true.
   • (R) provides the correct explanation for (A) as the use of 'were' in the subjunctive mood, even with a singular subject, justifies the grammaticality of the sentence.

Conclusion: The correct answer is: Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).