Sentence Correction

101) Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and eating properly will result in better health.
(A) eating properly will result
(B) proper diet resulted
(C) dieting will result
(D) proper diet results
(E) eating properly results


OA d.

The conjunction and changes the verb to plural. Tehn why results is right here...any commnets

I also think it should be result

It think results is right here for 2 reasons:
1. 'proper diet' is singular hence results
2. 'results' sounds parallel to 'tells'

moreover, 'eating' is not parallel to exercise, hence A, C and E are out of picture.
that leaves us with B and D. 'resulted' in B is not correct hence D is the right one.

"exercise & diet" is a phrase and is considered singular.

I read somewhere that,
When two or more singular nouns or pronouns suggest one idea to the mind, or refer to the same person or thing, the verb is singular.
eg: Bread and butter is his only food.
I guess the same rule applies here as well.
'sensible exercise and proper diet' will therefore take a singular verb.

vaivish what is the source of this q ?

singular RESULT is correct, the conjunction "and" takes the two singular nouns and creates a plural subject.

I think the problem here is not with singular and plural but with tenses!!!

"Common knowlege tells us that......." will required to be supported by a simple present tense which is available only in the correct option. Hence it is the correct answer.

bsandhyav wrote:I think the problem here is not with singular and plural but with tenses!!!

"Common knowlege tells us that......." will required to be supported by a simple present tense which is available only in the correct option. Hence it is the correct answer.

Indeed the concept being discussed relates to singular/plural.
Obviously POE leads us to the correct choice without a doubt, but thats secondary.

well.. both diet and exercise are singular and hence results should be plural.

- pradeep

Bidisha800 wrote:"exercise & diet" is a phrase and is considered singular.

Any agreememt on this?

I agree...
"Gin and Juice" - considered one drink and is singular

if the sentence was modified -
Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and proper diet results in better health and happiness

is 'results' still correct?

vaivish wrote:101) Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and eating properly will result in better health.
(A) eating properly will result
(B) proper diet resulted
(C) dieting will result
(D) proper diet results
(E) eating properly results


OA d.

The conjunction and changes the verb to plural. Then why results is right here...any commnets

First of all an action noun ( exercise ) can not be parallel with a simple gerund ( eating ) . Exercise can be parallel with a complex gerund such as the eating of proper food. Eliminate A, C and E

Between B and D, B looses the battle with wrong tense construction. We need simple present tense here not past tense.

D is the winner.

My take on Subject & Verb agreement:

Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and proper diet results in better health.

Common knowledge tells us that X results in better health

So the whole phrase sensible exercise and proper diet acts as a group.

logitech wrote:

vaivish wrote:101) Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and eating properly will result in better health.
(A) eating properly will result
(B) proper diet resulted
(C) dieting will result
(D) proper diet results
(E) eating properly results


OA d.

The conjunction and changes the verb to plural. Then why results is right here...any commnets

Common knowledge tells us that sensible exercise and proper diet results in better health.

So the whole phrase sensible exercise and proper diet acts as a group.

In short, you applied this rule

Subject "X and Y " will be treated as singular if

1. X , Y are logically related or one unit

2. refer to the same person or thing

aaahhh finally a question that follows that rule

I just hope the source is reliable.