Alfalfa

El Cucu wrote:Hi guys, I know this question has been discussed but I can't understand why the verb should be singular (20% of the leaf AND small stem material)

In the most common procedure for harvesting forage crops such as alfalfa, as much as 20 percent of the leaf and small-stem material, which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell to the ground.

(A) which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell
(B) the most nutritious of all parts of the plant, shatter and fall
(C) the parts of the plant which were most nutritious, will shatter and fall
(D) the most nutritious parts of the plant, shatters and falls
(E) parts of the plant which are the most nutritious, have shattered and fallen

D looks good.

A -- which incorrectly refers to Plant
B -- 20% of leaf and.. (sub - singluar) -- shatter and fall -- don't agree with subject

C,E -- Incorrect tense. ( were/ will shatter in C) , have shattered (in E)

x2suresh wrote:

El Cucu wrote:Hi guys, I know this question has been discussed but I can't understand why the verb should be singular (20% of the leaf AND small stem material)

In the most common procedure for harvesting forage crops such as alfalfa, as much as 20 percent of the leaf and small-stem material, which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell to the ground.

(A) which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell
(B) the most nutritious of all parts of the plant, shatter and fall
(C) the parts of the plant which were most nutritious, will shatter and fall
(D) the most nutritious parts of the plant, shatters and falls
(E) parts of the plant which are the most nutritious, have shattered and fallen

D looks good.

A -- which incorrectly refers to Plant
B -- 20% of leaf and.. (sub - singluar) -- shatter and fall -- don't agree with subject

C,E -- Incorrect tense. ( were/ will shatter in C) , have shattered (in E)

Tks but your explanation does not answer my question

I believe it uses the singular verb because the object is "material". Leaf and small-stem are types of materials. Thus, 20% of the material shatters and falls. Tricky...

El Cucu wrote:

x2suresh wrote:

El Cucu wrote:Hi guys, I know this question has been discussed but I can't understand why the verb should be singular (20% of the leaf AND small stem material)

In the most common procedure for harvesting forage crops such as alfalfa, as much as 20 percent of the leaf and small-stem material, which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell to the ground.

(A) which is the most nutritious of all the parts of the plant, shattered and fell
(B) the most nutritious of all parts of the plant, shatter and fall
(C) the parts of the plant which were most nutritious, will shatter and fall
(D) the most nutritious parts of the plant, shatters and falls
(E) parts of the plant which are the most nutritious, have shattered and fallen

D looks good.

A -- which incorrectly refers to Plant
B -- 20% of leaf and.. (sub - singluar) -- shatter and fall -- don't agree with subject

C,E -- Incorrect tense. ( were/ will shatter in C) , have shattered (in E)

Tks but your explanation does not answer my question

Here subject is "Percent", which is clearly singluar.

Percent (of X ) -- Singular.

With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition.
One-third of the city is unemployed.
One-third of the people are unemployed.
NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
None of the garbage was picked up.
None of the sentences were punctuated correctly.
Of all her books, none have sold as well as the first one.

https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp

awesomeusername wrote:With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition.
One-third of the city is unemployed.
One-third of the people are unemployed.
NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
None of the garbage was picked up.
None of the sentences were punctuated correctly.
Of all her books, none have sold as well as the first one.

https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp

So "as much as 20 percent of the leaf and small-stem material" should be a plural subject

I believe it's LEAF AND SMALL-STEM material.

Another example:

As much as 20% of the BLACK AND WHITE dog is covered in fleas.

LEAF AND STEM modifies material.
BLACK AND WHITE modifies dog.

awesomeusername wrote:I believe it's LEAF AND SMALL-STEM material.

Another example:

As much as 20% of the BLACK AND WHITE dog is covered in fleas.

LEAF AND STEM modifies material.
BLACK AND WHITE modifies dog.

good stuff... I didn't know ..
% of Plural --> Plural..

Here subject. "20% of Material " --> singlular.

Thanks for the info.

awesomeusername wrote:I believe it's LEAF AND SMALL-STEM material.

Another example:

As much as 20% of the BLACK AND WHITE dog is covered in fleas.

LEAF AND STEM modifies material.
BLACK AND WHITE modifies dog.

Tks for the clarification!

El Cucu wrote:

awesomeusername wrote:I believe it's LEAF AND SMALL-STEM material.

Another example:

As much as 20% of the BLACK AND WHITE dog is covered in fleas.

LEAF AND STEM modifies material.
BLACK AND WHITE modifies dog.

Tks for the clarification!

Please post the OA and OE if you have

OA is D.

for all the above mentioned reasons

nice...besides i find 'the leaf and small-stem material'quite special because of 'the', indicating that 'leaf and small-stem material' is mentioned as a whole

Also, since the non-underlined sentence is as MUCH as - use of much represents noncountable - verb must be singular.

This is not true since when using sums of money, periods of time, distances and statistical data (like percents) you have to use much/less
As much as 20 percent of the people ARE going to vote to...