Look at the text below. If there is an error with subject-verb agreement, rewrite the sentence (or portion) correctly. If there is no error, type "no error."
"Pollution and disease was to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s."
"Pollution and disease were to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s."
The correct sentence would be:
"Pollution and disease were to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s."
The correct sentence would be: "Pollution and disease were to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s."
To determine if there is an error with subject-verb agreement, we need to ensure that the verb is in agreement with the subject. In this case, the subject consists of two nouns, "pollution" and "disease," which are joined by the conjunction "and". When two nouns are joined by "and" and they refer to more than one thing or entity, the verb should be plural.
Therefore, the correct verb form to use with the subject "pollution and disease" is "were," making the sentence "Pollution and disease were to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s."