Aramaic script

Question

Dear Friends,

I was having problems in answering the following question.

The Achaemenid empire of Persia reached the Indus Valley in the fifth century B.C., bringing the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and southern Indian alphabets.
(A) the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and
(B) the Aramaic script with it, and from which deriving both the northern and the
(C) with it the Aramaic script, from which derive both the northern and the
(D) with it the Aramaic script, from which derives both northern and
(E) with it the Aramaic script, and deriving from it both the northern and

Please help.

OA after some discussions.

My choice was option E

Regards
Deano.

Brent@GMATPrepNow · Answer

Dean Jones wrote:Dear Friends,

I was having problems in answering the following question.

The Achaemenid empire of Persia reached the Indus Valley in the fifth century B.C., bringing the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and southern Indian alphabets.
(A) the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and
(B) the Aramaic script with it, and from which deriving both the northern and the
(C) with it the Aramaic script, from which derive both the northern and the
(D) with it the Aramaic script, from which derives both northern and
(E) with it the Aramaic script, and deriving from it both the northern and

This is one of those difficult situations where the verb comes before its corresponding subject.
Notice that we have the verb phrase "was derived." To find its corresponding subject, we should ask, "What was derived?"
The answer to this question is "the northern and southern Indian alphabets."
Hmm, so these alphabets was derived?

Since alphabets is plural, we need "were derived."
Unfortunately, this is not one of the answer choices.

Answer choice C correctly matches the plural "alphabets" with the plural verb "derive."
In other words, "the alphabets derive from the Aramaic script" - perfect.

Cheers,
Brent

Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com

GmatVerbal · Answer

Again, this one of those logical prediction questions:
IMO-C;

it refers to "The Achaemenid empire of Persia" so the phrase starting with "from which" should correctly modify the script;
In relative clause from which... Both northern and southern indian alphabets is a compound subject;

eccentric · Answer

What is source of this question? I can see issue with each answer choice!!!

LalaB · Answer

@Dean Jones

E is not good, since here " with it the Aramaic script" u assumed that it =Empire, but later here "and deriving from it both the northern and", u use it again, and it seems as if the empire derives from itself both alphabets

GmatKiss · Answer

The Achaemenid empire of Persia reached the Indus Valley in the fifth century B.C., bringing the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and southern Indian alphabets.
(A) the Aramaic script with it, from which was derived both northern and
(B) the Aramaic script with it, and from which deriving both the northern and the
(C) with it the Aramaic script, from which derive both the northern and the
(D) with it the Aramaic script, from which derives both northern and
(E) with it the Aramaic script, and deriving from it both the northern and

IMO:C

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