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

Redeem

The numbers of women is singular or plural?

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:27 am
Thanked: 7 times

The numbers of women is singular or plural?

by sparkles3144 » Tue Jul 01, 2014 1:50 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

I was doing couple of GMATPREP problems and I came across following question.
My question is the numbers of women is singular or plural?
The number of is singular. Is it different for the numbers of?

Thanks!

A Labor Department study states that the numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase in the past decade and accounted for more than sixty-two percent of the total growth in the civilian work force.

(A) numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase
(B) numbers of women employed outside the home grew more than thirty-five percent
(C) numbers of women employed outside the home were raised by more than thirty-five percent
(D) number of women employed outside the home increased by more than thirty-five percent
(E) number of women employed outside the home was raised by more than a thirty-five percent increase
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:13 am

by sukkhi » Tue Jul 01, 2014 4:27 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

sparkles3144 wrote:I was doing couple of GMATPREP problems and I came across following question.
My question is the numbers of women is singular or plural?
The number of is singular. Is it different for the numbers of?

Thanks!

A Labor Department study states that the numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase in the past decade and accounted for more than sixty-two percent of the total growth in the civilian work force.

(A) numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase
(B) numbers of women employed outside the home grew more than thirty-five percent
(C) numbers of women employed outside the home were raised by more than thirty-five percent
(D) number of women employed outside the home increased by more than thirty-five percent
(E) number of women employed outside the home was raised by more than a thirty-five percent increase
the number of x....is singular
the numbers of x...implies talk is of actual numbers ...so wrong here

(e) passive ...says something raised the no..but no such "doer" is listed

i bet on (d)
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:22 am
Thanked: 12 times
Followed by:8 members

by AnjaliOberoi » Tue Jul 01, 2014 6:52 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

"The numbers of" is always wrong. You can say that it is a wrong phrase/idiom.

The number of -> Singular
A number of -> Plural
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:27 am
Thanked: 7 times

by sparkles3144 » Tue Jul 01, 2014 7:37 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

AnjaliOberoi wrote:"The numbers of" is always wrong. You can say that it is a wrong phrase/idiom.

The number of -> Singular
A number of -> Plural
The numbers of is not always wrong.
I did come across it in Kaplan, Manhattan and Official sources.

I researched after I came across your reply.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/can ... t7484.html

Read Stacey Koprince's reply
https://www.beatthegmat.com/numbers-of-f ... 85-15.html

Hope it helps!
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:45 pm

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

sparkles3144 wrote:I was doing couple of GMATPREP problems and I came across following question.
My question is the numbers of women is singular or plural?
The number of is singular. Is it different for the numbers of?

Thanks!

A Labor Department study states that the numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase in the past decade and accounted for more than sixty-two percent of the total growth in the civilian work force.

(A) numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase
(B) numbers of women employed outside the home grew more than thirty-five percent
(C) numbers of women employed outside the home were raised by more than thirty-five percent
(D) number of women employed outside the home increased by more than thirty-five percent
(E) number of women employed outside the home was raised by more than a thirty-five percent increase
The NUMBERS of women -- a PLURAL subject -- means the MULTITUDES of women.
The intention here is to discuss not multitudes of women but a STATISTIC about women: the NUMBER employed outside the home.
Eliminate A, B and C.

In E, RAISED by more than a thirty-five percent INCREASE is redundant.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:22 am
Thanked: 12 times
Followed by:8 members

by AnjaliOberoi » Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:20 pm

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

Hi Mitch,

Can you please comment upon the usage of "numbers of". Is it correct in GMAT context.

Regards, Anjali
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:32 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

AnjaliOberoi wrote:Hi Mitch,

Can you please comment upon the usage of "numbers of". Is it correct in GMAT context.

Regards, Anjali
I would be skeptical of an answer choice that employs numbers of.
However, the GMAT accepts the use of its numbers and their numbers:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/the-gyrfalcon-t51538.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/genetic-homo ... 71678.html.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 712
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 4:39 am
Thanked: 14 times
Followed by:5 members

by Mo2men » Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:02 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

GMATGuruNY wrote:
sparkles3144 wrote:I was doing couple of GMATPREP problems and I came across following question.
My question is the numbers of women is singular or plural?
The number of is singular. Is it different for the numbers of?

Thanks!

A Labor Department study states that the numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase in the past decade and accounted for more than sixty-two percent of the total growth in the civilian work force.

(A) numbers of women employed outside the home grew by more than a thirty-five percent increase
(B) numbers of women employed outside the home grew more than thirty-five percent
(C) numbers of women employed outside the home were raised by more than thirty-five percent
(D) number of women employed outside the home increased by more than thirty-five percent
(E) number of women employed outside the home was raised by more than a thirty-five percent increase
The NUMBERS of women -- a PLURAL subject -- means the MULTITUDES of women.
The intention here is to discuss not multitudes of women but a STATISTIC about women: the NUMBER employed outside the home.
Eliminate A, B and C.

In E, RAISED by more than a thirty-five percent INCREASE is redundant.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.
Dear Mitch,

1- In OA, If 'increased by' is replaced by 'grew by', is it correct?

2- In choice B, regardless of 'numbers of', is the construction 'grew more than 35%' correct? what difference in meaning between the former construction and 'grew/increased by'(provided that 'grew by and increased by' are the same as questioned above).

Thanks in advance
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:25 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

1- In OA, If 'increased by' is replaced by 'grew by', is it correct?
An OA in GMATPrep:
Despite the growing number of people who purchase plane tickets online, airline executives are convinced that many travelers will still use travel agents.
Here, the usage of growing number suggests that GMAC would consider it acceptable to say the number grew by more than thirty-five percent.
2- In choice B, regardless of 'numbers of', is the construction 'grew more than 35%' correct? what difference in meaning between the former construction and 'grew/increased by'(provided that 'grew by and increased by' are the same as questioned above).
An OA in GMATPrep:
Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.
Here, the usage of grew more suggests that the blue and green phrasings above are all acceptable.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 712
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 4:39 am
Thanked: 14 times
Followed by:5 members

The numbers of women is singular or plural?

by Mo2men » Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:09 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

Dear Mitch,

The question at hand used the construction: 'increase by + 35 percent' , where percent here is adverb. However, in the OG question below, choice A is considered incorrect because 'by' can't followed by adverb 'twice'.
What is the difference between them in each case.

The number of undergraduate degrees in engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the United States increased by more than twice from 1978 to 1985.
(A) increased by more than twice
(B) increased more than two times
(C) more than doubled
(D) was more than doubled
(E) had more than doubled.

Thanks for your help
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:25 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

The question at hand used the construction: 'increase by + 35 percent' , where percent here is adverb. However, in the OG question below, choice A is considered incorrect because 'by' can't followed by adverb 'twice'.
What is the difference between them in each case.
percent may serve as a NOUN.
Of the students in the class, eighty percent passed the test.
Here, eighty percent is a NOUN serving as the subject of passed.

twice is a MODIFIER.
It cannot serve as the subject of a sentence.
Of the students in the class, twice passed the test.
The sentence above is nonsensical.
twice is not a noun and thus cannot serve as the subject of passed.

The object of a preposition such as by must be a NOUN.
For this reason, by may be followed by percent but not by twice.
Incorrect: increased by twice
Correct: increased by one hundred percent
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1