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Is cost singular/plural?

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by Indradeep » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:57 am
For most consumers, the price of automobile insurance continues to rise annually, even if free of damage claims and moving violations.
(A) even if
(B) despite being
(C) even if they are
(D) although they may be
(E) even if remaining

Do we see the cost is rising or the cost are rising?
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by stop@800 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:20 am
Here we have price of automobile insurance, which I think is singular.

in CD
they is incorrectly used
they should refer to automobiles
but there is no mention
only insurance is mentioned.


E is also out as
remaining free of damage makes no sense


Now need to choose between despite being and even if
I am more inclined towards despite being.

However, being is used when something is there for v v small duration
but here no such case... still
B is looking better than A






btw
the cost will also be singular.
The cost of this car is $10000.
also
The cost of these cars is $100000.
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by Indradeep » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:31 am
OA is C
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by stop@800 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:35 am
For most consumers, the price of automobile insurance continues to rise annually, even if they are free of damage claims and moving violations.

here they is referring to consumers
so consumers are free of damage claims and moving violations.
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by sunnychopra » Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:07 am
cost is singular. please refer to the link below for the detailed info.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cost

but here "they" is not referring to cost. stop@800 has already mentioned about that.
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Sunny
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by stop@800 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:54 am
sunnychopra wrote:cost is singular. please refer to the link below for the detailed info.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cost
Examples
the cost will also be singular.
The cost of this car is $10000.
also
The cost of these cars is $100000.

but here "they" is not referring to cost. stop@800 has already mentioned about that.
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by sunnychopra » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:39 am

Examples
the cost will also be singular.
The cost of this car is $10000.
also
The cost of these cars is $100000.
Yeah, you are absolutely right. but in gmat sometimes we got stuck just because we mess up things between plural and singular.so, it was in general that we use cost as singular or the other way around "costs" is always plural. :D

One eg---
New leaks caused by the torrential rain have damaged the historic Henson House, significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already are a cost to the restoration fund of more than $70,000.

A. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already are a cost to the restoration fund of
B. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already cost the restoration fund
C. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, already the restoration fund costs of
D. significant in compounding the effects of neglect, and already costing to the restoration fund of
E. significant in compounding the effects of neglect, and already costs the restoration fund of


OA B
Regards,
Sunny
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by EricLien9122 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:44 am
sunnychopra:

The example you provided has "New leaks" as the noun for the sentence. "which" refers to new leaks. Therefore, the verb should be cost.


Just my thought, please let me know if i make a mistake there.
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by codesnooker » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:50 am
sunnychopra wrote:

Examples
the cost will also be singular.
The cost of this car is $10000.
also
The cost of these cars is $100000.
Yeah, you are absolutely right. but in gmat sometimes we got stuck just because we mess up things between plural and singular.so, it was in general that we use cost as singular or the other way around "costs" is always plural. :D

One eg---
New leaks caused by the torrential rain have damaged the historic Henson House, significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already are a cost to the restoration fund of more than $70,000.

A. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already are a cost to the restoration fund of
B. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, which already cost the restoration fund
C. significantly compounding the effects of neglect, already the restoration fund costs of
D. significant in compounding the effects of neglect, and already costing to the restoration fund of
E. significant in compounding the effects of neglect, and already costs the restoration fund of


OA B
Sunny, COST can be used in two ways: as a NOUN and as a VERB also.

In the example, The cost of this car is $10000. , COST is used as a NOUN, so it can be SINGULAR/PLURAL that depends upon the context.

Whereas the example that you have presented, in that, COST is used as VERB. And VERB cannot be either SINGULAR or PLURAL.

So in your example, either to use COST or COSTS will depend upon the SUBJECT of that example.
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by Rashmi1804 » Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:05 pm
For those of you using the sentence " the cost of the car...."....
It is not "cost OF the car....." it is "cost FOR the car........ " ACC TO OG 11.

Explanation provided : Cost is not a part or something that belongs to car...its a property kind of a thing....n blah blah blah...I dont remember the question number... but will defntly post here if i get back to it once again...


Anyways....could anybody please tell me whats wrong with option D ??

I picked D over C...because of the use of "although".
As per the rule : Although is used when theres a negative outcome inspite of a positive thing.....as in -although she studied well....she dint get thru the exam.

Use of Even if : even if she doesnt work hard...she will get a 700+ in gmat.

isnt this correct ??? or is it the other way ???
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by rs2010 » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:46 pm
GMAT prefers use of although in the beginning of sentence unless better choice are not available.
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by [email protected] » Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:02 am
i m stuck between options B and C... Could any of the experts please help in this question...
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