Ashujain wrote:Q: According to a recent poll, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults, like that of earlier generations.
(A) like that of earlier generations
(B) as that for earlier generations
(C) just as earlier generations did
(D) as have earlier generations
(E) as it was of earlier generations
I am not sure about whether "like" is correct in the above statement. Please help.
Generally, COMMA + LIKE at the end of a sentence serves to modify the SUBJECT of the preceding clause. An OA from the OG:
Dr. Barbara McClintock reported that GENES can "jump," LIKE PEARLS moving mysteriously from one necklace to another.
The implication here is that GENES are LIKE PEARLS.
In A,
that seems to refer to
a goal.
The entire phrase (
like that of earlier generations) serves to modify the SUBJECT of the preceding clause (
owning and living in a freestanding house).
The implication is that
OWNING AND LIVING IN A FREESTANDING HOUSE is
LIKE A GOAL of earlier generations.
Which GOAL of earlier generations?
Since A does not convey a clear meaning, eliminate A.
Each of the remaining answer choices include
as.
As is used to compare VERBS.
Only
E compares parallel verbs:
Owning and living in a freestanding house IS still a goal of a majority of young adults, as it WAS of earlier generations.
The correct answer is
E.
Issues of note:
When two subjects joined by AND are considered ONE UNIT, the verb is SINGULAR.
Here,
owning and living in a freestanding house refers to ONE CONCEPT.
Hence, the verb is singular:
Owning and living in a freestanding house IS a goal.
In the OA,
it (singular) refers to
owning and living in a freestanding house (also singular).
The OA employs ELLIPSIS, the omission of words whose presence is understood.
Here is the complete meaning conveyed by the OA:
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