Psychologists

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Psychologists

by boros2203 » Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:52 am
Psychologists now contend that the way adults think and feel are determined as much by their peers in early childhood than by their parents.

(A) are determined as much by their peers in early childhood than by their
(B) are determined as much by peers in early childhood as do their
(C) is determined as much by their early childhood peers as by their
(D) have been determined by childhood peers as much as their
(E) was determined as much by one's peers in childhood as by one's

I have one doubt here what is the subject here "the way" ? Also I have seen certain SC questions where "and" acts as conjunction . Though I was able to get the correct answer but still confused when to use is(singular) vs are (plural)?
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by debmalya_dutta » Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:48 am
You are right in determining that "the way" is the subject here
Psychologists now contend that the way adults think and feel are determined as much by their peers in early childhood than by their parents.
Anything beyond contend is modifier - "that the way adults think and feel are determined as much by their peers in early childhood than by their parents."
Looking for the subject of the modifier , you can determine that "way" is the subject

as much...as is the correct use of the idiom here and need to establish the parallel markers here which are "as much" and "as"

so , I would go with C

because
as much "by their early childhood peers" is parallel to the " by their parents"

Other examples where "and" changes the subject to plural
Humpty and Dumpty are sitting on the wall
Humpty and Dumpty had a great fall

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by pramendrapandeya » Fri May 16, 2014 8:27 am
The way" is singular. "adults think and feel" is just used to modify/quality "the way" The verb form should be singular.
Eliminate A,B, and E.

or just to determined what subject is ask question what determined think and feel - you get the answer the way, which is singular ..:)

What the psychologists contend should use general state form of verb.

Eliminate D.

Hope it helps :)

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by AnjaliOberoi » Fri May 16, 2014 8:45 am
+1 for C.
The way is the subject here

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