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GPREP SC- 7

by abhasjha » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:43 am
Three out of every four automobile owners in the United States also own a bicycle.

(A) Three out of every four automobile owners in the United States also own a bicycle.
(B) Out of every four, three automobile owners in the United States also owns a bicycle.
(C) Bicycles are owned by three out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States.
(D) In the United States, three out of every four automobile owners owns bicycles.
(E) Out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States, bicycles are also owned by three.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:23 am
This question is testing SUBJECT/VERB agreement and MODIFIERS.

(A) Three out of every four automobile owners in the United States also own a bicycle.
This sentence has correct subject/verb agreement, and makes sense. Correct.

(B) Out of every four, three automobile owners in the United States also owns a bicycle.
We cannot say "three automobile owners owns." This does not agree.

(C) Bicycles are owned by three out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States.
This sentence in unnecessarily passive, and is missing the added meaning that these people ALSO own bicycles.

(D) In the United States, three out of every four automobile owners owns bicycles.
The subject and verb do not agree.

(E) Out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States, bicycles are also owned by three.
We cannot say "out of every four..., bicycles are..." When we're expressing a proportion, we must either say "three out of every four," or "out of every four, three." This sentence implies a proportion of "bicycles out of four," which makes no sense.

The answer is A.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
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by AnjaliOberoi » Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:11 am
(A) Three out of every four automobile owners in the United States also own a bicycle.- correct
(B) Out of every four, three automobile owners in the United States also owns a bicycle.
(C) Bicycles are owned by three out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States. - passive
(D) In the United States, three out of every four automobile owners owns bicycles.
(E) Out of every four owners of automobiles in the United States, bicycles are also owned by three. - wrong modifier after comma. It should have been out of ever four, three
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