Which one do you think is correct? There are many previous threads and articles on this. You may wish to google either or neither nor verb agreement.
Of course 1 is correct but one grammar page on the web says we say like sentence 2,
especially when one of the subjects are plural nouns. That' why I put this question.
When a subject is made up of two or more items joined by (either)...or... or (neither)...nor... we use a singular verb if the last item is singular (although a plural verb is sometimes used in informal English), and a plural verb if the last item is plural:
- Either the station or the cinema is a good place to meet, (or ...are... in informal English)
- The President or his representatives are to attend the meeting.
If the last item is singular and previous item plural, we can use a singular or plural verb:
Advanced Grammar in Use (second edition) - Martin Hewings, p. 82
- Either the teachers or the principal is to blame for the accident. (or ...are to blame...)
...
(I didn't know what 'budgies' were.:-D)
...
Short for 'budgerigars' - colourful birds native to Australia but common as pets in the UK (and probably elsewhere). They're sort of 'mini-parrots'.
b
Parakeets and budgerigars are very different birds in the UK.
PS I blogged a while ago about another clash of names like this.