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 →

complicated subject-verb agreement from Knrewton course

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:32 am
by miki25989 » Sat Dec 31, 2011 2:18 am
Declining values of homes, the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is going to decrease the revenues of many small contractors this years.
a. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is

b. the collateral which homeowners borrow against to finance additions and other home improvements, that are

c. the collateral which is borrowed against by homeowners to finance additions and other home improvements, it is

d. the collateral against which homeowners borrow, are used to finance additions and other home improvements, they are

e. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, are

Knewton has given this example in one of its lesson. However, before I start explaining what is weir in this sentence. Could anyone tell me what is the subject in this sentence?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Legendary Member
Posts: 784
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 3:51 amFollowed by: 12 members
Thanked: 114 times

by patanjali.purpose » Sat Dec 31, 2011 2:45 am
miki25989 wrote:Declining values of homes, the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is going to decrease the revenues of many small contractors this years.
a. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is

b. the collateral which homeowners borrow against to finance additions and other home improvements, that are

c. the collateral which is borrowed against by homeowners to finance additions and other home improvements, it is

d. the collateral against which homeowners borrow, are used to finance additions and other home improvements, they are

e. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, are

Knewton has given this example in one of its lesson. However, before I start explaining what is weir in this sentence. Could anyone tell me what is the subject in this sentence?
Declining VALUES of homes...ARE [spoiler](IMO E)[/spoiler]
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:32 am

by miki25989 » Sat Dec 31, 2011 2:51 am
Why is collateral not the main subject of this sentence? isn't it "declining value" the participle phrase of the sentence?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Dec 31, 2011 10:39 am
miki25989 wrote:Declining values of homes, the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is going to decrease the revenues of many small contractors this year.
a. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, is

b. the collateral which homeowners borrow against to finance additions and other home improvements, that are

c. the collateral which is borrowed against by homeowners to finance additions and other home improvements, it is

d. the collateral against which homeowners borrow, are used to finance additions and other home improvements, they are

e. the collateral against which homeowners borrow to finance additions and other home improvements, are

Knewton has given this example in one of its lesson. However, before I start explaining what is weir in this sentence. Could anyone tell me what is the subject in this sentence?
The subject is values.
Declining is an adjective describing the values. What kind of values? DECLINING values.
Of homes is an adjective describing the declining values. What kind of declining values? Declining values OF HOMES.
Thus, the verb here must be plural: Declining VALUES of homes...ARE going to decrease.
Eliminate A and C.

B is not a complete sentence. Here is the basic structure of B: Declining values of homes...that are going to decrease the revenues. Eliminate B.

In D, the comma between improvements and they connects two complete sentences. If a comma can be replaced with a period, eliminate the answer choice. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

A phrase set off by commas typically serves as a NON-ESSENTIAL modifier: a modifier that can be removed without changing the basic meaning of the sentence. In the OA, if we remove the phrase set off by commas (the collateral...improvements), the rest of the sentence can stand on its own: Declining values of homes are going to decrease the revenues of many small contractors this year.

For an SC from GMATPrep similar to the one above, check here:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/declining-va ... 60223.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
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:32 am

by miki25989 » Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:36 am
Thank you very much,
Your explanation is very clear and logical as well as the example.
Happy New Year Mitch
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1