BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Anomalies in Uranus' orbit

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:36 pm
Thanked: 6 times
by g_beatthegmat » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:50 am
It was anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that led to the discovery of Neptune.

(a) It was anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that
(b) It was the orbit of Uranus showing anomalies that
(c) They were anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that
(d) The orbit of Uranus being anomalous was what
(e) The anomalies in the orbit of Uranus was what

...
What's your take on this one?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:44 am
Thanked: 26 times

by chidcguy » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:59 am
I dont have a take on this as I am fubered. If I have to pick one, I will pick C

Anomalies is plural and we cannot use was.
Last edited by chidcguy on Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:36 pm
Thanked: 6 times

by g_beatthegmat » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:06 am
Source: Kaplan 800, 2008 edition.

OA: A

If (c) was "There were anomalies..." then yes this would have been a better option. But if this sentence is assuming "the anomalies in the orbit of Uranus" as singular, then I feel E is a better option than the OA option.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:44 am
Thanked: 26 times

by chidcguy » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:11 am
Are you saying that the event itself (anomalies in the orbit of Uranus) is considered as subject?

Even so, i can count the number of anomalies to more than 1.

Stuart,

Can you explain?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:55 pm
Location: Washinton DC

by Almostthere » Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:06 pm
Going for D..The only time passive is acceptable (from what I understand) is in science or when you're giving direction ex. the water is poured into the bowl
Knock it (GMAT) out the park
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:28 am
Thanked: 2 times
GMAT Score:710

by airan » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:16 pm
Will go for A
b) orbit of Uranus showing anomalies that lead --> what is that referring to ..is it orbit of Uranus or anomalies

c) They were anomalies --> wrong usage ..
d) Being rule .. anyways doesnt fits too well here
e) Was cannot be used . anomalies is plural .

Hence A
Thanks
Airan
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:28 am
Location: Canada
Thanked: 1 times
GMAT Score:700

by adilka » Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:17 pm
Even though OA is A, I still don't understand how was can be grammatically correct with anomalies

Ok, say I accept their (Kaplan's) explanation that the underlined portion is treated as a singular subject for the verb led . but if that's the case, I don't see anything wrong with E, since same logic would apply. Yet they (Kaplan) say that in E, subj. and verb don't agree... well, they don't in A either.

Opinions?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Sydney
Thanked: 12 times

by piyush_nitt » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:54 am
airan wrote:Will go for A
b) orbit of Uranus showing anomalies that lead --> what is that referring to ..is it orbit of Uranus or anomalies

c) They were anomalies --> wrong usage ..
d) Being rule .. anyways doesnt fits too well here
e) Was cannot be used . anomalies is plural .

Hence A
Airan , don't we have a reference problem in sentence A as well?

I think in sentence A , they can refer to either anomalies or Uranus.

I always thought that 'that' can refer to nearest noun. In B the nearest noun is anomalies and thats what requireed isn't it?


Please correct me!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 259
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:30 pm
Thanked: 16 times

by amitabhprasad » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:32 am
few things to note here...
1) In the sentence "It" is placeholder "It" and it is used in this case to postpone the subject.
2) "that" as relative pronoun, in cases of preposition phrase I have seen "that" refers to subject in the sentence and not to the immediate noun above "in the orbit and of Uranus " these two are prepositional phrases.
Further subject of the sentence is "anomalies in the orbit" and not "anomalies" thus singular. Remember this subject phrases are always singular
and "that" correctly refers to the singular subject.
If you go by above rules you will see "A" is correct choice here.

HTH
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:26 am
Location: Portland, OR
Thanked: 6 times

by pbanavara » Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:50 pm
amitabhprasad wrote:few things to note here...
1) In the sentence "It" is placeholder "It" and it is used in this case to postpone the subject.
2) "that" as relative pronoun, in cases of preposition phrase I have seen "that" refers to subject in the sentence and not to the immediate noun above "in the orbit and of Uranus " these two are prepositional phrases.
Further subject of the sentence is "anomalies in the orbit" and not "anomalies" thus singular. Remember this subject phrases are always singular
and "that" correctly refers to the singular subject.
If you go by above rules you will see "A" is correct choice here.

HTH
I think you nailed this .. the subject is not anomalies but 'anomalies in the orbit' and hence option A is the best one.
In the land of night, the chariot of the sun is drawn by the grateful dead
https://questor.blocked

GMATPREP1 - 550 (Oct 08)
MGMAT FREE CAT - 600 (Dec 08)
MGMAT CAT1 - 670 (Jan 09)
MGMAT CAT2 - 550 (Jan 09)
MGMAT CAT3 - 640 ( Feb 09)
MGMAT CAT4 - 660 ( Feb 09)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1325
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 6:24 amFollowed by: 14 members
Thanked: 105 times

by vikram4689 » Tue May 18, 2010 6:31 pm
@amitabhprasad In that case , E should also be correct
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1325
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 6:24 amFollowed by: 14 members
Thanked: 105 times

by vikram4689 » Tue May 25, 2010 5:04 pm
come on guys..... waiting for your reply
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 544
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:14 amFollowed by: 2 members
Location: Pune, India
Thanked: 31 times

by adi_800 » Tue May 25, 2010 5:11 pm
amitabhprasad wrote:few things to note here...
1) In the sentence "It" is placeholder "It" and it is used in this case to postpone the subject.
2) "that" as relative pronoun, in cases of preposition phrase I have seen "that" refers to subject in the sentence and not to the immediate noun above "in the orbit and of Uranus " these two are prepositional phrases.
Further subject of the sentence is "anomalies in the orbit" and not "anomalies" thus singular. Remember this subject phrases are always singular
and "that" correctly refers to the singular subject.
If you go by above rules you will see "A" is correct choice here.

HTH
Perfect..Cant agree more..
You got every point right to make how option A is right!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 995
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:56 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 31 times

by paes » Tue May 25, 2010 10:15 pm
What's wrong with C ??

They were anomalies in the orbit of Uranus that led

'were' required for anomalies : plural
'that' is properly referring to anomalies : that is a relative pronoun here
led : past tense of lead, so same for singular or plural
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 613
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:17 amFollowed by: 64 members
Location: madrid
Thanked: 171 times
GMAT Score:790

by kevincanspain » Wed May 26, 2010 5:41 am
Almostthere wrote:Going for D..The only time passive is acceptable (from what I understand) is in science or when you're giving direction ex. the water is poured into the bowl
This is not true: the passive voice is often preferable to the active voice

1. When the agent performing the action is not known or is not important

It is obvious that the documents have been stolen

2. For reasons of parallel structure

We ventured off the main road, were attacked by wolves, and had to climb trees to keep from being eaten.
Kevin Armstrong
GMAT Instructor
Gmatclasses
Madrid
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked