A little help, please, with subject/verb agreement in a sentence. These I have no trouble with:

 

• Good policy will come when society at large is educated about HPV.
• Good policy will come when at-risk individuals are educated about HPV.
• Good policy will come when society at large and at-risk individuals are educated about HPV.

 

And pretty sure about this:

 

• Good policy will come when society at large (not just at-risk individuals) is educated about HPV.

 

But what about this one?

 

• Good policy will come when society at large, as well as at-risk individuals, is/are educated about HPV.

 

Do the commas make the second phrase an aside so that the verb should agree with “society” only (i.e., “is”)? Or do we treat “as well as” as equivalent to “and,” making “are” the right choice? I seek your informed guidance on the matter. Any specific reference to authority is especially welcome.

 

Dick

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Richard Veit
Department of English
University of North Carolina Wilmington