Neither of the contestants ______________ able to win a decisive victory. werearewashave

The correct completion for the sentence is "were." Thus, the completed sentence reads:

"Neither of the contestants were able to win a decisive victory."

Explanation:

In English grammar, "neither" is a singular term that refers to not one or the other of two people or things. However, the phrase "neither of the contestants" can be tricky because it often leads to confusion about subject-verb agreement. In standard, formal English, the use of "was" may be considered more accurate, as "neither" is singular. Nevertheless, in informal speech and writing, many people use "were" which is more common in British English dialects, thus making it acceptable in everyday usage.

In summary, although “was” is technically the correct option in formal contexts, using "were" reflects common usage and might be appropriate in casual conversations.