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When two singular nouns are joined by 'and' to name a single dish or concept, the verb is singular. 'Jam and eggs' is treated as one dish/combination, so 'is' (singular) is correct. 'Was' would be past tense, while 'are' and 'were' are plural forms.

The subject is 'The president of the first national bank and leader of the scout troop' - one person holding two positions, which is singular. Therefore, 'has' (singular helping verb) is correct. 'Was' is past tense, 'have' is plural, and 'were' is plural past tense. The word 'just started' indicates present perfect tense.

'None' can be singular or plural depending on context. With 'of the men' (plural people), the verb should be plural: 'were arrested'. 'Was' and 'is' are singular forms, while 'are' is present tense but the sentence context suggests past occurrence. In modern usage, plural verbs with 'none of [plural noun]' are standard.

When forming the plural of 'spoonful', the suffix '-ful' is treated like a regular noun ending, so we add '-s' to make 'spoonfuls'. This follows the pattern of 'handfuls', 'cupfuls', etc. 'Spoonsful' would mean multiple spoons each full of something, which changes the meaning. 'Spoonfully' and 'spoonfuly' are not valid word forms.

The phrase 'one and one' is a mathematical expression representing a single calculation that equals two. As a singular concept, it takes the singular verb 'equals'. 'Equal' is the plural form, 'equally' is an adverb, and 'equalent' is a misspelling of 'equivalent'. This follows the rule that mathematical expressions treated as single units use singular verbs.

The phrase 'two plus two' represents a single mathematical result (four), so it takes the singular verb 'is'. When a mathematical expression is treated as one total amount, use a singular verb.

The subject 'posters' is plural, so the verb must be plural. 'Were' is the only plural verb in the options. When the subject follows the verb (inversion), still match the verb to the subject's number.

'Data' is technically a plural noun (singular: datum), so 'These data are' is grammatically correct. The word comes from Latin and maintains its plural form in formal English. However, 'This data is' is now commonly accepted in modern usage.

When 'or' connects a singular and a plural subject, the verb agrees with the closer subject. 'Books' is plural and closer to the verb, so 'are' is correct. This is called the principle of proximity.

'His favourite dessert' is the singular subject, even though it ends with a plural-looking word. The core subject is 'dessert', which is singular, so it needs the singular verb 'is'. Don't be distracted by words that only describe the subject.

With 'or', if both subjects are singular, use a singular verb. The rule is not additive here - 'or' presents alternatives, not a combination. Even though there are multiple items, 'or' means you're choosing one alternative at a time.

Phrases referring to time, money, distance, or weight usually take singular verbs when they represent a single total amount. 'Five years' here is one period of time, not individual years, so 'is' is correct.

Expressions of quantity, amount, or measurement take singular verbs even if the number is more than one. 'A thousand bushels' is treated as one amount or yield, so it uses 'is'. The focus is on the quantity as a single concept.