@McTag,
McTag wrote:
Quote:I would re-write the sentence, since in my opinion 'that' should refer to a single item.
"That" does refer to a single item.
"that, along with..."
But there's a "were" later on, and "assets" (plural).
He had had some success in public speaking as a student, and
that along with his burning conviction of having a burden on his soul of which he must deliver himself
were his only
assets.
Everything from 'along' to 'himself' is parenthetical - you wouldn't say "His burning ambition were his only assets". It needs fixing, e.g.:
He had had some success in public speaking as a student, and that, and his burning conviction of having a burden on his soul of which he must deliver himself, were his only assets.
'Along with' doesn't join the two things together into a plurality.
That's what I feel, I may be wrong.
[UPDATE] I found a reference
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/sv_agr.htm
The topic is subject-verb agreement.
Quote:Phrases such as 'together with', 'as well as', and 'along with' are not the same as 'and'. The phrase introduced by 'as well as' or 'along with' will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not compound the subjects (as the word 'and' would do).
The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.
The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.