Question

Each of the boys (is, are) overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done.

Short answer

The correct sentence is 'Each of the boys is overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done.' because 'each' is a singular pronoun, thus needs a singular verb 'is'.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the principles of subject-verb agreement

The main rule is that a singular subject should be paired with a singular verb, and a plural subject should be paired with a plural verb.

Determine whether the subject is singular or plural

In the given sentence, the subject is 'each of the boys'. 'Each' is a singular pronoun, even though it is referring to multiple boys. Thus the subject is singular.

Choose the correct form of the verb

Given that our subject is singular, we should use the singular form of the verb. Therefore, we should use 'is' instead of 'are'.