For this question, we are trying to figure out which verb fits the structure of the sentence better. To do this, we must first find which word the verb is defining. The subject of a sentence (except in a few rare cases) is typically before the verb, and is always a noun. There are two nouns in the sentence (Someone and rows). Which one is the verb expressing?
Well, let's think about it. Are the rows coughing? Somehow, I doubt it, so we're left with Someone. Someone is a singular pronoun, so the appropriate defining verb would be 'was'.
"Someone a few rows ahead was coughing uncontrollably, so I missed the speaker's closing words." Hope that helped =)
Ikemefuna acts as a kind of role model, and as a result, Nwoye spends more time with his father and begins to take on more "manly" tasks. Okonkwo is therefore delighted about the influence of Ikemefuna on his son.
